Color Me Crazy
by akahey
Summary: Because there was very little sanity left for her to hold onto. Because it was easier to hide the pain than it was to genuinely smile----pain that she was hopelessly sure to bury for their sake. Because not everyone was exactly normal.
1. Attack

**shortie: Prepare for OOC. Fanfiction isn't my strongest writing, so please forgive me.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**oo1. Attack**

She was dressed as a boy: long snow-white hair hidden underneath the confines of a large cap; breasts wrapped tightly with bandages to create a false flat chest; gentlemen's collar shirt and waistcoat; ironed pants; knee-length boots, the legs of the pants tucked in; and a long overcoat.

He looked like a girl with his long black hair pulled back in a high ponytail and straight cut bangs. He wore a long black outfit with an elaborate silver cross on the front. A sword hung on his hip.

Aria didn't know why he attacked her out of the blue like that. Maybe he thought she was his enemy. She didn't look _that_ suspicious, did she?

His sword was drawn. It sliced through the air and down towards her. She quickly moved to the side to avoid the sharp blade. It _clang_ed on the stone ground, sending sparks flying. His gray eyes darted over to her as he lifted his sword for another attack. Turning on the spot, he lunged forward, jabbing the blade straight in her direction. Without much thought, she kicked it. It wasn't a very smart move, seeing as the sword slit through the bottom of her _leather_ boot, cutting the tip of the bottom of her overcoat. Blood dripped from the cut, pain resonating in her foot.

She needed to remember to wear boots resistant to metal.

A smirk graced his feminine face as he pushed forward to finish her. Aria, standing her ground, placed her wounded foot a step behind her position, mentally wincing.

She gritted her teeth. For now, she would have to deal with the pain.

Sticking out her right arm towards him, her hand suddenly changed into a bow. The transformation clearly surprised him, but what was going to shock him was that _she_ was going to win this little fight. She pulled the string back with her left hand, and a bright arrow appeared right before his face. Literally.

Her lips quirked into a smirk.

_Check and mate._


	2. Rage

Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.

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**oo2. Rage**

It was only fair that his sword was broken. After all, he had cut open the bottom of her left foot (because of her major stupidity). He was completely pissed that she had managed to damage his weapon with her arrow. He was ready to stab the girl, whom was incognito as a boy, with his broken sword but his companions quickly interfered. A bespectacled old man with frizzy gray hair stepped in-between them, while the two other guys held back the raging boy.

"Please forgive him," the old man apologetically smiled at her. "My son tends to have anger issues."

_Son? _That black haired boy was his son?

Aria politely smiled, a gesture of acceptance of his apology.

"Now, how about I take a look at your foot?"

Before she could answer, Armentice's voice had rang out. She turned to see her twin run towards the group, confusion bright on her pretty face. Her onyx eyes roamed from Aria to the smiling face of the old man to the two guys restraining the livid swordsman, then to the swordsman himself and back to the elder twin. It was then she noticed the blood.

"Who the hell hurt you?!" she suddenly shrieked, possibly waking up the entire town.

Aria cringed at the volume of her sister's voice as Armentice dipped down and lifted the injured foot to examine the damage, nearly toppling her over. It was a good thing the old man was behind her to catch her, otherwise, she would have fallen onto the stone ground.

In a low voice, she said, "It's a sword wound."

She straighten, catching the glint of the broken half of the guy's sword on the ground. The other half was clutched tightly in his hand. The expression on her face was hideously terrifying as she stared down the dark haired boy. Aria was deaf for the rest of the night after Armentice and the swordsman had an all-out yelling war. She was sure the other three were too.


	3. Chapter Three

**shortie: Prepare for OOCness (maybe; I can't accurately tell)…and in future chapters. __**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**oo3.**

His name was Kanda, Yu Kanda. The old man was Froi Tiedoll. The small guy, the one with markings on his face which made him look like a jester, was Daisya Barry. He liked to talk a lot. The big guy was Noise Marie. Apparently, he was blind. They were Exorcists with the Black Order. Tiedoll was a General because his synchronization rate with his Innocence was a complete 100%.

Synchronization rate? Innocence? Was that supposed to be some sort of sexual innuendo?

Aria slightly narrowed her eyes. Were they prostitutes trying to get her and her sister to join their brothel, the "Black Order"? So, what was with the title of "General," then? Maybe it had something to do with being the most prized or whatnot.

"Are you guys prostitutes?" she blurted, completely unabashed.

Armentice turned scarlet, eyes popping out of their sockets. Daisya could only stare in disbelief, doubting that she was actually serious. Marie choked on air and started coughing. Kanda looked ready to cut off her head, even with a broken sword. Tiedoll, on the other hand, laughed like the father he was and proceeded to explain.


	4. Home

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**oo4. Home**

After figuring out that they were both Innocence users, the three Exorcists took the Locken twins back to the Black Order Headquarters.

_("No, the Black Order's not a brothel," chuckled Tiedoll._

"_Che. How in the world did you come up with that stupid answer?" snarled Kanda._

_Aria only blinked at him, which irritated him even more. Armentice turned a shade darker, if that was even possible.)_

The first to greet them was the Supervisor, a Chinese man with glasses by the name of Komui Lee. He heartily welcomed them back, most especially the twins because they were new Exorcists. Well, Aria was the only _known_ one among the two; they hadn't seen Armentice draw out her anti-akuma weapon…yet. However, Hevlaska, the "Guardian of the Cube," had confirmed that she was indeed an Exorcist.

"Her synchronization rate is extremely low," informed the ethereally beautiful Hevlaska. "It's incredibly low that she almost feels human."

Armentice didn't know whether or not to feel upset at those words. So, she settled for fuming because Aria's synchronization rate was much higher than hers.

"Now, now," cooed Komui, trying to lighten the younger of the twins' mood. "It's nothing to get mad over."

Even he was surprised at how high the rate was for the elder twin; she was a girl in her early teens whom didn't seem _capable_ of fighting, seeing as her sister was a complete giveaway on that. There was something about her that appeared not to fit with the whole picture, but---

She gave him a small smile, catching him in the act of staring at her. He lightly flushed in embarrassment but returned the smile.

When Komui led the Locken sisters away from Hevlaska, they came across Lenalee, his little sister. She was heartwarming, and Armentice immediately glued herself to the Chinese girl, startling both of the Lee siblings. She gushed at how cute and adorable Lenalee was, Komui joining in. The poor Chinese girl could only stand there and endure the cruel and unusual punishment.

Aria sighed in exasperation, bringing a hand to rub her forehead. "Armentice, get off her."

Pouting, she released the younger girl but hooked an arm through hers. "We're going to become BEST friends," she declared happily as Lenalee nervously laughed.

Komui was definitely up for it.

After ordering him to go back to work, Lenalee took the sisters on a tour of the castle that was their Headquarters. They ran into a redheaded boy with an eye patch over his right eye. He was not only an Exorcist but also the next Bookman. He was quite flirtatious, but the Chinese girl shooed him away. Aria was scowling at Armentice because she had turned into a giggly schoolgirl. She made a mental note to not let the younger twin get within a 100-mile radius of him, which was impossible, but she could always try.

Lenalee showed them where not to go and where they were allowed to go. She pointed out their rooms to them and lead them to places they could train, if they needed to.

The library was a grand place filled with a tremendous amount of books. Armentice gagged, conjuring another scowl from Aria. Their tour guide warmly chuckled, leading them out and to another area.

She took them to the cafeteria where decorations were hung up on the walls and the tables were covered with loads of food. Bouquets of flowers sat in pretty vases as the centerpiece of each table. Each person held a glass of sparkling cider. Conversations quieted down to mere whispers as they noticed the newcomers. A warm smile graced each of their faces (excluding Kanda) upon seeing the twins. A large banner was strung across the room---with the two girls' names on it.

"Welcome, Aria and Armentice Locken!"

They raised their glasses and cheered.

Armentice was giddy with happiness, tears streaming down her face as she laughed and hugged everyone. Aria couldn't help but smile and laugh with her sister, having felt a tug at her heart at the sight of the party that was set up for them---_for her_. For once, her smile actually reached her eyes.

Komui saw it, and so did Tiedoll.

"Welcome home," Lenalee smiled.

The Headquarters was home now, wasn't it?


	5. Blind

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**oo5. Blind**

"Are you sure you're blind?" Aria skeptically inquired of Noise Marie for the millionth time.

He chuckled in amusement, leisurely drawing out his repeated answer to her repeated question. (Kanda and Daisya were incredibly tired of hearing it, but the former was more annoyed by it.) "Yes, I'm sure."

Ever since their arrival at HQ, Aria had been tracking down the supposedly blind Exorcist simply out of curiosity. Of course, she only did so whenever she wasn't trying to separate her sister from Lavi, the former which would cling onto the latter for dear life and dramatically cry. Unfortunately, her little act would never work on her older sister. The funny thing was that Aria would never try to _physically_ pry the two apart; she would usually silently threaten Lavi with a glare or two, which he often compared to Kanda's own glare, leading to an uproar with the swordsman himself, or she would bribe Armentice with an offer she couldn't refuse, which often involved Lenalee.

Marie could usually be found with Daisya or Kanda or both or sometimes by himself. This time, he was with the both of them. The four of them were in the training room. Daisya and Aria were sitting on the sidelines, watching Kanda spar with Marie in a swordfight. The Japanese teen was obviously the better swordsman.

"So, your Innocence lets you see?"

"Quit distracting him, Aria," Daisya scolded.

Marie chuckled once more. "In a way."

"Can you be blindsided if you're blind but can 'see'?"

Kanda chucked his bamboo sword at Aria with such vigor that it burst apart the moment it hit the wall where her back was pressed against a moment before.


	6. Shaky Breath

**shortie: Shaky breath = calming down = anger**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**oo6. Shaky Breath**

Armentice had fallen for Lavi and his charm. It was apparent in the way she batted her eyelashes at him, the way she easily blushed around him, and the way the smile on her face appeared to be permanent.

Aria was greatly bothered by their flirtatious exchanges so much that she was referred to as Komui's long lost twin or clone, seeing as they both were major sister complexes. It didn't disturb her to be compared to the maniacal Supervisor; she was more interested in figuring out _why_ her younger sister was so attached to the redheaded flirt. Maybe it was partially due to separating them; Tiedoll had once told her that absence made the heart grow fonder.

She shook that thought away.

How could that be when they _both_ were flirtatious people? And flirtatious people were attracted to beautiful people like magnets. The two of them were bound to hurt one another with their careless ways, that Aria knew for sure.

Even Daisya wasn't too thrilled about them either. Although he was pretty inconspicuous about his feelings for her, Aria wasn't one to miss the subtle changes in his expressions, voice, mood, and actions whenever Armentice was around. She, on the other hand, was too blind to notice such things, most especially when she was too busy _slobbering_ over the next Bookman. He never once spoke about how he felt towards her, but he knew Aria most likely knew about it; she wasn't dumb, even though it may seem like it.

The whole situation was made worse when a flushed Armentice jumped her older sister in the middle of the hall one uneventful day, exclaiming in one breath that she and Lavi had shared their first kiss together. Unfortunately, she was in the company of Daisya and Marie at that time, the former turning green at the "joyous" news. Aria was silently seething as Armentice ran off to spread the happy information until everyone knew.

Exhaling a shaky breath, anger rushing through her veins, Aria half-whispered, "He's dead."

The next day, the peaceful morning was disturbed by the rambunctious shouting of a certain Bookman Junior and an outraged Kanda, the former being chased by the latter whom was swinging Mugen quite violently and carelessly. The swordsman's long hair was neatly braided with bright pink bows, which flapped cutely in the wind as the duo ran passed the snow-white haired teen on her way to breakfast. The other twin was trailing behind them, panting heavily and screaming at the Japanese boy to stop trying to kill the redhead.

It was a positively good thing Kanda was in a deep sleep last night.

Aria wanted to uncharacteristically jump and skip out of joy but that would have given her away, and thus, she would be the one in Lavi's place instead.

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**shortie: it's not that I hate Lavi----I actually do like him----it's just that Aria has to deal with him dating her sister. In a way, she is similar to Komui.  
**


	7. Boredom

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**oo7. Boredom**

It was fairly quiet day at the Black Order Headquarters. Of course, it was only that way because Daisya wasn't present, jabbering someone's ear off. He was away with Marie on a mission in Greece, and later on, the pair would head to Czechoslovakia. (Or was it to Czechoslovakia and _then _to Greece?) So, without neither of them to keep her company, Aria was bored out of her mind.

Wandering the empty halls was tedious, but at least it was something to do. Truthfully, she would have rather went to the library and picked out a good book to read, but she wasn't in the mood to do so. She was deathly depressed being left alone with her thoughts. She never had a problem with being by herself at times when she was a kid. Now she did, though, and it suffocated her.

Armentice had picked a nice time to go figure out what her anti-akuma weapon was with Tiedoll. They were out training in the fields of Italy, Tiedoll most likely sketching out the vast plains. Yet, even if she was here with Aria, she would have went hunting for Lavi.

That stupid rabbit, Kanda would say. Why, oh, why did he call him that when Lavi didn't even resemble one in the slightest way?

Aria made a mental note to ask the Japanese teen.

Speaking of the swordsman, he was possibly holed up in the training room. He was always training or meditating like he had nothing else good to do. He probably didn't, seeing as he was completely antisocial. Actually, the white-haired girl had once seen him speak with Lenalee in a civil manner.

She made another mental note to question him about his relationship with the Supervisor's sister. Prying wasn't her thing but curiosity certainly was.

Maybe she should ask Lenalee in case the boy refused to answer. Well, the last time she saw the Chinese girl was at breakfast, and she was told that she would be too busy serving and refilling coffee for the whole Science Department to do anything with her.

So, poor Aria was left without a companion. (Bookman-in-training was definitely out of the question; he wouldn't have been a good person to talk with, anyway.) Gloomier than she was earlier that morning, she trudged on back to her room to soak in her misery. However, walking past the doors to the training room poked her spirits up a bit, causing her to stop; she hadn't crossed him off of her list when she went through it.

She hadn't ever bothered him before. Maybe indirectly and unwittingly but never on purpose. Should she do so now? The only incentive for her was that she wouldn't be alone for her thoughts to attack her. Unfortunately, she couldn't think of one for Kanda, and that was bad.

Standing there, she weighed the pros and the cons repeatedly until her selfishness won her over. It _was_ pretty selfish to go bother someone else for her own sake.

Hesitating, she forced her feet to move toward the doors in front of her. A reluctant hand reached out to the handle, and she slowly pushed it open. She peered inside to see a meditating Kanda, Mugen lying across his lap. As quietly as she could, she slipped in, gently closing the door behind her. Her footsteps were light and soundless as she made a beeline for the Exorcist; it was as though she was a ghost. She eased herself down beside him, sitting cross-legged like him and inhaled a deep breath. Softly exhaling it so as to not disturb him, she let herself relax.

Seconds ticked by. Those seconds turned into minutes, which became hours. They silently sat there, not making a single sound. Not once had Kanda acknowledged her presence, but Aria didn't mind. The gnawing fear inside of her had disappeared.


	8. Taking the First Life

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

**shortie: I apologize if it's a bit confusing. It's supposed to be this way.  
**

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**oo8. Taking the First Life**

She was in her teens, youthful and beautiful. All men wanted her, and all women were envious of her. She knew it and relished in it, batting her long lashes in an attempt to be cute. Of course, it always worked, and the men always fell.

The air was thick with lust and jealousy and want. Drool dribbled from the edges of their mouths, which were twisted into lecherous grins. Their eyes flashed dangerously with desire.

But she always never picked any one of them; she would flirt and tease until they could bear no more, until the suspense suffocated them and abruptly leave. To her, it was just a game. Love was a game no one could win at, but she turned it around and manipulated it so she would always be the victor.

He hated it. He absolutely loathed it with his whole heart. Although he wanted her as much as the next guy, he abhorred her for her little games. No one liked it, but they would usually return to play it again the next day.

That was where his cute little assassin came in. Oh, she was so terribly young, only just a kid, but her skill as a fighter was both deadly and astounding. It would be so easy to for her to break the temptress' long, fragile neck.

Late at night, he had her go when her younger sister was asleep. The girl was small in size and had petite feet, so sneaking into the seductress' home wasn't a problem. The glass doors to the balcony latched open so effortlessly it was as though they were unlocked. She quietly stepped into the room where her sleeping victim laid ever so peacefully. She hesitated, slightly trembling in nervousness, but then reminded herself she was doing it for a purposefully good reason; she would deal with her conscience afterwards.

There was no bloodcurdling scream as she slashed the beauty's slender neck. It was just like gutting a fish. Blood sprayed onto her hand, the knife, her dark outfit, the clean bed sheets, the comforter. It oozed onto the white pillow, tainting the beauty's long locks red. Her eyes were opened, having stirred a few seconds too late to realize she was dead.

Dead. She was dead. Dead, dead, dead. And the little child held the murderous weapon in her hand.

Aria woke up with a start, sweating profusely. She felt a chill run through her as she sat up in bed, wiping away at the cold sweat on her forehead. It was only a dream, a dreadful nightmare, she repeatedly chanted to herself. Looking over to the end of the room, she saw the bundled form of Kanda silently sleeping in the other bed, Mugen resting against the wall. The Finder was curled up on the wooden floor, mumbling incoherent sentences in his sleep.

Of course. They were in Kuhmo, Finland, searching for the Innocence that had been recently sighted. Slaying those akumas earlier must have triggered unwanted nightmares to return, and just when she thought she had gotten over them. Her past was never going to let her go, was it?


	9. Sins

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**oo9. Sins**

_Dear Heavenly Father…_

Aria let out a chilling breath.

Her face was vivid in her mind: soft peach skin and supple pink lips; small upturned nose; wide bright blue eyes; long dirty blonde hair. She was a gorgeous girl and always wore pretty dresses.

She wasn't so pretty anymore, not with all of that blood. Her beautiful face was contorted into an expression of belated horror, eyes glassy and wide open. It sent chills down Aria's spine, seeing her blank eyes stare right through her. It was her very first time seeing a dead person----and her very first time taking a life.

…_I have sinned._

He was a baron, a pitiful man of low nobility. He had a wife and two kids.

He was a baker. He was his father's only son.

She was the wife of a duke and the niece of an earl.

He was a rotten police officer. He was also an illegal weapons dealer.

He was a farmer who was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

He was a family man. She was his ill wife. He was their son. She was the nursemaid.

_I ask for Your forgiveness._

Aria sucked in a deep breath. Cold sweat beaded her forehead, one dripping down the side of her face.

He was a human trafficker.

She was a gold digger, having married and murdered all five of her husbands for money.

He was her em-----

"Tch. You're in the way."

Aria looked up at the swordsman, plastering a smile onto her face. "Sorry; I'll leave."

"Tch."

_Take away my sins and make my hands clean once more._

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**shortie: She's in the training room/hall, sitting in the middle of the whole room. That's why Kanda's (currently) annoyed.**


	10. Hell

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

**shortie: I don't really like this one, but I guess it's okay. Lavi may be a bit OOC. You may hate me for it. Sorry.  
**

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**o1o. Hell**

Hell was being stuck as the third wheel to the (falsely) love-struck duo of Armentice and Lavi. It was a hideous nightmare that Aria couldn't wake up from. She hated the giggles that emitted from her sister whenever the older boy said something supposedly funny; it was downright irritating. Though, from time to time, the redhead would try to include her in their conversations (Armentice was too enamored to actually remember that she even had a sister), but there was always a slight hesitation in his voice. It was as though he was intimidated by Aria. However, she didn't care, even if that observation made her feel a bit elated.

The day's events had also included the sudden disappearance of Komui Lee. Apparently, he didn't want to deal with the stacks and stacks of paperwork covering his desk and decided to take a break. A break from what, Aria could care less. Actually, she didn't care that he was M.I.A. because it didn't affect her. At least, that was what she thought before he ruined her day even more.

She wasn't expecting it, but then who was? Maybe Marie, but he couldn't foretell the future.

All of the members of the Science Department had divided up into teams and went on a hunt for the Chinese man. They scoured the whole place, inch by inch, room by room. Of course, they didn't dare venture into the privacy of everyone's bedrooms; Kanda had already made sure of that. The one place they weren't looking was the hallway.

It was so silly that it was hilarious, but Aria didn't laugh. She had no reason to laugh, and she wouldn't after what happened.

In a rather giddy, yet maniacal mood, Komui merrily skipped out from behind a random potted plant with a happy smile on his face. Lenalee had just approached the trio, whom was on an aimless and endless walk, and asked them if they had seen her brother. With only shakes of their heads, she pursed her lips together in slight frustration. Lavi, then, had made the simple mistake of consoling her with a bright smile and his hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner. That threw Komui into a rampaging rage as he witnessed the "perverted" action take place.

"HOW DARE YOU LAY A HAND ON MY SWEET LENALEE!!"

He pulled out a hardhat and his notorious drill basically out of nowhere, his features torn into a crazed grin. The group noticed his presence, and the redhead instinctively flinched and took a few steps back, his visible eye bugging out. Armentice was a mess of words as she shouted at the man to cease his destructive behavior, while Lenalee merely frowned. Aria just stood there with a blank expression, glee shining in her dark eyes.

The man lunged towards Bookman Junior, drill whirling loudly, the sound echoing off the stone walls. His hysterical laughter broke through everyone, even managing to send a chill running down Aria's spine, and Lavi took that as a cue to book it to safety.

The drill violently landed in the spot the boy had previously been, digging nosily into the stone floor. The impact sent shards of rocks everywhere, causing the three girls to dodge them as they flew.

There were shouts and shrieks as the commotion grew. Winces and yelps came from Armentice as she failed to dodge a few falling stones. Both Aria and Lenalee fared well, the latter making her way to her brother. With one fell swoop of a kick from her Dark Boots, the man collapsed to the destroyed ground. Unfortunately, the drill did not stop. It continued its rampage like an angry boar, butting through anything that came its way. It was only when the elder twin and the Chinese girl decimated it with their activated Innocence did it stop.

The scene they were caught in was a tangled mess of mere ruins. Since there was really no constructor to help rebuild the wrecked part of the Black Order HQ, everyone who wasn't busy had to help out in reconstructing it. Komui was sentenced to doing paperwork until every single page was done.

Aria could only scowl darkly at her new task; she hated manual labor. And stupid Lavi had ran when it got dangerous.

He would feel her fury, and _that_ would be hell for him.


	11. Wall

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o11. Wall**

Although they were identical twins, they were easily told apart by their behavior and mannerism. Everyone knew Armentice was the loud, giggly one, always hanging off the arm of either Bookman Junior or the Supervisor's sister. She was laughing and smiling, usually teasing someone early in the morning as part of her routine. With her extrovert self, it was difficult for her not to converse with someone on a daily basis.

Aria was the more quiet and calm one. Her demeanor was too composed and too polite, and she had a certain habit of following those she found intriguing around, bombarding them with questions in a blunt manner. Not to mention, she was unabashed when it came to asking things that would usually embarrass others.

Although the elder twin would engage in conversation from time to time, it would feel superficial, like she was _interrogating_ the person instead of _involving_ herself in the talk. It was as though there was a barrier around her.

Tiedoll knew.

Komui realized it.

Lenalee had an inkling.

Marie suspected something.

Armentice felt it.

Daisya was blind to it.

Kanda didn't care.

Lavi was aware something was up.

Reever saw it.

They only wished she would lower the walls separating her from them, because they wanted to see the real her. However, Aria wasn't going to do any of that, because doing so would endanger them. It was hazardous, and she was afraid of the outcome. She had worked too hard in building up the walls to have them come down.


	12. Scars

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o12. Scars**

The white haired teen was currently showering after a long and heated training session with Kanda, whom was looking for some revenge for their very first encounter, which was ages ago. It was only natural that Daisya and Marie were the audience, seeing as she was with them when the challenge was issued. Needless to say, the spar went on for much too long, without a winner declared; her muscles were sure to be aching tomorrow.

Eyes closed, she let the cold water soothe her red-hot body and shampooed her hair, massaging it into a thick and soapy substance. Then she let it get washed away.

There were squeaks of feet against the hard floor, making their way towards the girl. They stopped a small distance away. There was a flutter of a towel, then the squeaking of the shower knobs. Water rushed from the pipes and poured out of the showerhead, creating a harmonious tune with Aria's own running shower.

She then started soaping her body, the water quickly rinsing it away, as though there wasn't another person present in the room.

"Aria."

Continuing her ministrations, without turning to look, she answered, "Yes?"

There was a pause. A sigh followed immediately afterwards. "That scar…"

Her onyx eyes flicked open towards the Chinese girl, a small smile stretching out onto her face as she placed the soap onto the rack.

"I've had it for a while."

She turned the shower off, wringing out of her hair the excess water.

"You have so many," Lenalee slowly enunciated, hesitation and concern evident in her voice.

"It's only natural since I'm a fighter."

The girl didn't say anything else, enabling Aria to leave. Once she entered the locker room, she swiped her towel off of its hook and dried herself. Wrapping it around herself, she picked up her clothes but then noticed the mirror behind her. She set down her attire and walked over to it, studying the long scar trailing down her back from her right shoulder. Then she traced the second and much smaller scar on the shoulder.

They were only scars-----physical reminders of her rather rowdy past. They didn't show how much she truly suffered, only how much pain she bored.


	13. Fake

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o13. Fake**

Everything about him was fake. From his smiles to his laidback attitude. None of it was real.

Bookman himself had told Aria that they weren't supposed to get emotionally attached to people. Then why was Lavi with Armentice if that statement was true? Was he just stringing her along for his own enjoyment? Or---or was it really real and he wanted to get as much as he could out of the world before he became Bookman-----before he would break her heart? Either way, it was wrong.

Everything about him was an absolute façade, but when Aria went to go tell her younger sister about it, she realized _she_ was also pretentious.

Her smiles weren't forced but neither were they real and genuine. She was too quiet for her own good when her insides were screaming. Too courteous for it to be an actual trait, and certainly too numb to feel authentic emotions, to laugh out loud, or take part in jokes.

Just what was he hiding from the world? What was it that made him mad in the depths of his soul?

(Aria couldn't help but feel empathetic towards him.)


	14. Even When the Rain Comes

**shortie: I like the rain. I like walking in it. It's really quite nice. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o14. Even When the Rain Comes**

It was currently raining----pouring, actually. That meant they-----they being Aria, Lavi, and a male Finder------were stuck inside the hotel room until it stopped to go find the rumored Innocence.

Aria was settled on the windowsill, looking out, while the other two were conversing about the assigned mission. She didn't care to be included in it; she was more attentive to the falling rain.

It was calming.

She leaned her forehead against the cool glass.

It was soothingly cold.

Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, and a certain anxiousness overcame her. Sitting still was not a possibility, nor was being stuck in the tiny room. There was only one option left.

She moved from her seated position on the windowsill and made her way to the door, startling both men.

"Hey, where are you going?" came the redhead's voice.

"A walk," she replied, closing the door behind her with a click.

She strolled on out into the streets, the pouring rain dampening her. Her uniform was soon thoroughly soaked as she leisurely embraced the weather, boots stepping in newly made puddles of water. The tinkling of raindrops on the stone streets was melodious, a sound she missed dearly. Her breathing came easier, and she suddenly felt free.

There were no chains holding her down.

No binds to restrict her.

Nothing worldly to corrupt her.

She was pure and free.

But…

The elation in her chest was smothered by sudden guilt.

…she could not just forget Armentice.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o15. **

"So," drawled the voice, "this is where you've been."

Blinking out of her stupor, she didn't notice that she had been standing in the same spot with the rain coming down hard on her for at least ten minutes.

Heavy footsteps came her way, slow and steady.

"Hey, you're going to get sick."

"I won't," she told him, craning her neck to the right in order to properly stare blankly at him.

A toothy grin spread onto his face. "Sure."

_Fake._

Her stare did not falter. "What are you hiding?"

His grin did not, either. "I should be the one asking that."

It became silent, excluding the thunderous falling rain, as he came to a stop a yard or two away from her. His expression wasn't as jovial as before, even though he was still smiling.

"I really want to get along with you, Aria." Then he added, "For Armentice's sake."

_You don't really care._

"That's not true."

He said nothing. A moment's silence passed until she spoke again.

"What is she to you?"

"A person."

"That's not what I meant."

He definitely knew what she meant but simply chose to ignore it.

"You're not supposed to care; you're the next Bookman."

"Why do you care?"

Looking up towards the cloud-ridden sky, the rain falling onto her face, she didn't answer his question. "We should head back; you're going to get sick."

He gave an amused chuckle, scratching his cheek. "Whatever you say."

Aria shifted her gaze back to him as she turned in his direction to return to the inn. He mimicked her action, walking slowly ahead of her.

_You shouldn't care, but why do you?_

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**shortie: ...yeah. The conversation doesn't make much sense---and I'M the writer.**


	16. Time for a Change

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o16. Time for a Change**

The next mission assigned to Aria was once again with Lavi. Komui must have wanted some sort of friendship to occur between the two of them. Unfortunately, grouping the two of them with Kanda in order to achieve that goal wasn't necessarily the best thing he had done. So, there they were in the freezing cold of the Himalayas, snow practically littered everywhere, shivering like the kittens they were.

"Komui is going to die" ran through both Kanda's and Aria's minds, the latter's teeth chattering quite loudly as she shivered violently in the icy wind, arms pulled tightly closed to her body.

"Are you okay?" Lavi asked, shivering also, though not as bad.

She shot him a glare as cold as their surroundings. "Do you want to get pushed off the edge?" she hissed venomously, but it came out all stuttered and less threatening than it was supposed to be.

He only laughed, friendly teasing her. Kanda snapped at him to shut up and focus on the mission. The Finder was the only one to point out that if they didn't get to a warm place soon, Aria was going to die of hypothermia.

The warning came too late as she collapsed to the snow-laden ground, completely unconscious.

Lavi gave a surprised yelp as Kanda only stared at the fallen body, irritated.

Komui was certainly going to die now.


	17. The Need to Protect

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o17. The Need to Protect**

Aria woke up beneath warm covers of a bed, the radiating heat of a roaring fire drawing her out of unconsciousness. She sat up, rubbing away the sleep from her eyes, unable to recall any of the previous details.

"Yo, she's awake!" cried a joyous voice.

"Tch. About time."

There were shuffles of footsteps into the room she was in, and before she knew what hit her, she was being suffocated by a bone-crushing hug from the one-eyed redhead.

"Ge----get off of me!" she gasped, roughly pushing him away.

He abruptly pulled away, fearing her wrath as she morphed her arm into a sharp looking blade pointed at his neck, yet happy she was awake. She angrily huffed at him, making him back away a few steps.

"You seem to be quite well," a new voice spoke up.

As quickly as her anger came, it dissipated into thin air. Her arm morphed back as she lowered it. She turned to look at the speaker, curiosity spiked. It was a Tibetan monk, clothed in a dark shade of red robe with tan skin and a shaved head. He was kindly smiling at her.

"It is good that you are awake," he said, neither hurrying his words or slurring them together with his Oriental accent. "We were afraid your condition might have been worse, and you would have been lost. Your friends have been unable to eat or sleep much," he added with a chuckle.

Aria doubted he was also including Kanda in the circle.

"Ah, thank you for your hospitality and care," she smiled.

"You are most welcome," he bowed.

Lavi urged her to do the same. With a scowl sent his way, she awkwardly inclined her head.

Abruptly, a large shake of the building they resided in told of an earthquake-----or an akuma attack.

Snarling, Kanda ordered the Finder to stay with the bedridden girl. Lavi prepared himself for battle while reassuring the monk that they could handle it, whatever "it" was.

"Hey, wait!" the snow-white haired teen exclaimed at the two retreating Exorcists. She fumbled to get out of the bed, carelessly tossing out the thought that someone had changed her clothes.

"Stay," growled the Japanese swordsman dangerously, pointing Mugen right in her face.

She stopped all movements, clenching her jaw shut tightly. She heatedly stared at him, grounding out, "I'm not going to be deadweight."

"You're still recuperating," came Bookman Junior's soft voice. "Let us take care of it."

Shit.

"The rabbit's right," Kanda spat out. "You couldn't even handle the harsh weather."

Double shit. What was this, a double-team?

She heaved a defeated sigh. He sheathed Mugen, and he and the redhead quickly left the room just as a shrill cry went through the air, confirming that it was indeed an akuma attack. The Finder instinctively stepped closer to the bed, wary about the unknown situation the other two Exorcists were going to be in soon.

"Do not worry about your friends," whispered the monk, placing a comforting hand on Aria's shoulder. She lightly tensed at the touch. "It is your safety they are most worried about."

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**shortie: I love the monk, although his character isn't exactly fully developed. He's still so cool. XDD**


	18. Once in a While

**shortie: Once in a while = rare**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o18. Once in a While**

Peaceful moments were rare, especially at the Black Order.

Another was Kanda being civil to Lavi.

A third was Kanda withstanding both the redhead and Daisya at the same time.

The fourth was Aria genuinely smiling.

The fifth rare moment was the cluster of Tiedoll's group (Kanda, Marie, Daisya), the Locken twins, Bookman Junior, and the Supervisor's little sister all getting along happily.

A sixth one was the three girls laughing together as though they've been friends forever.

The seventh was Daisya not caring that Armentice was with Lavi and that it hurt him to see the two of them together.

The eighth was Komui actually bothering to do his paperwork.

A ninth was the whole Science Department getting more than four hours of sleep.

The tenth was all of the Exorcists occupying the Headquarters at the same time.

There definitely was more rare moments to list, but Komui witnessing the sudden outburst of a raging Kanda attacking Lavi in the cafeteria as food was used as artillery in an impromptu fight started by the redhead knew that everyday was a rare moment in itself.

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**shortie: GAH. Daisya and Armentice... How in the world did I ever come up with that? XD  
**


	19. Gray

**shortie: Yay. Allen finally makes his initial appearance! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o19. Gray**

He had silver-grey eyes and completely white hair, much like the Locken twins. However, they doubted they were related to him; their biological parents had already passed away by the time they were born. To clear things up, he even said that he was born with _brown_ hair. Still, the colorless hair made everyone think they were related.

Armentice was immediately attached to him, crushing him in hugs whenever she could just because he was cute and adorable. (Lavi was away on a long mission when young Allen Walker arrived, and she needed a distraction; she couldn't always hog all of Lenalee's attention.)

Even Aria took a liking to him, seeing as she started following him around wherever he went. At first, he was disturbed that she was acting much like a stalker, though without much stealth. Yet, when he went to clarify things with whomever he could, like Lenalee, Armentice, or Komui, he was still awkward and nervous with her presence trailing not too far behind him.

It was peculiar because she had never once took the initiative to introduce herself to anyone before. Also, she never asked him any questions; she was just silent, sometimes pointing out a few things to him. So, Allen decided to ask her about how strange her unusual behavior was.

She only politely smiled in reply, something he found eerily familiar to himself. However, he didn't need words to understand the reason; he knew that she knew his smiles never reached his gray eyes.


	20. Paper Cut

**shortie: Paper cuts are evil.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o2o. Paper Cut**

"Ow!"

There was a flutter of paper.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow--ie!"

A sniff.

"Aria," whined the voice piteously.

The aforementioned teen turned to the younger twin, blinking her eyes questioningly. Amentice stuck her forefinger out, showing the sustained injury.

"It's just a paper cut," Aria stated, to which Kanda scoffed.

"SHUT UP!" yelled the "injured" girl, glaring at him.

"Here." Allen, being the gentlemen that he was, took out a handkerchief and dabbed at what little blood oozed out from the small wound.

Amentice childishly stuck out her tongue at the swordsman. He narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Oops."

There was a slip of the page Aria was reading, slicing open her own finger. She stared at it as a drop of blood appeared.

"Oh, no," cried her sister. "Allen help her; she's going to die!"

The other three blankly stared at her.

"It's just a paper cut," repeated Aria, sticking her cut finger into her mouth.

This caused her to be even more dramatic. She clasped the side of her head with both hands in horror, shrieking, "WAH! She turned into a vampire because you didn't help her, Allen!"

"W-wait! I didn't-----" began the boy, but her loud voice drowned him out.

"I'm going to get a bandage," Aria informed them, but only Kanda heard it.

Then she waltz out of the room to the infirmary, the Japanese teen dashing out after her simply because he couldn't stand the other two.


	21. River

**shortie: I really like this one. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o21. River**

Rivers were continuously flowing, always strong and unyielding. They traveled long distances, going through the most treacherous and dangerous of places before reaching a terrain of calm and peace. Or the other way around. Although they eventually merged into the ocean, they were always there as an individual body of water, even if they were a part of a whole.

That was how the Black Order was like. The Order was the ocean, and the Finders, Exorcists, and the others were many separate rivers.

Before reaching the Order, they each had their own paths. Those paths led them to the people in their lives, sometimes having rivers break off of their own while new ones integrated with theirs. Often, their paths would run smoothly, while other times it would be wave after wave of rapids.

Upon being admitted into the Black Order, they merged with one another, creating relationships, whether good or bad, with each other. They were all connected this way, because the ocean housed all of the rivers combined. It was a never-ending whirlpool that swallowed each and every new member, because when someone would leave, there would be no trace of them left to distinguish from.


	22. One Thousand Words

**shortie: Eh..... This one's okay. I don't really like it, though. The only part I liked was writing Allen. XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o22. One Thousand Words Cannot Describe Our Relationship**

"Aria----"

She pinched the boy's cheek with a large grin on her face, showing off her even teeth.

"You're just so cute."

He blushed, trying to tug her hand off. She complied with no argument, turning around to walk ahead. Hurried footsteps behind her told her he was following. He rushed forward to walk beside her, slowing down to fall in step with her. It was just another of their aimless walks around the Headquarters. They would have gone to town, but Komui wasn't permitting them to do so.

"Hey!"

Armentice waved her whole arm to catch their attention while latched onto Lavi with her other arm.

"Good afternoon, Armentice, Lavi," greeted the ever polite boy.

She squealed louder than she needed to, causing Aria to cringe and Lavi to temporarily go deaf. Allen nervously chuckled; at least, she didn't jump him with a bear hug.

"Ah, you two look so cute together," she commented, to which the redhead backed up with a giant smile.

The boy feverishly blushed, while his companion blankly stared at her sister.

"What are you implying?" she asked.

"Nothing~!" sang the girl as the grin on Lavi's face grew a bit larger.

"I can't be with Allen without our relationship being questioned?"

"It doesn't matter," replied Armentice, waving away the subject.

Without warning, Aria threw her arms around the aforementioned boy's neck, hugging him from behind, causing him to flush even darker than before. A devious smile graced her lips. "You're just jealous we're cuter."

Allen's speech was full of stutters and slurs as he tried to calm the situation down, waving his hands wildly in front of him as a sort of defense from the slightly irked girl. Even the redhead was perspiring anxiously, fear glowing in his one visible eye.

Armentice was pink in the face, her grasp on Lavi's arm cutting off blood circulation.

This was a matter of pride, and she wasn't going to back away from the challenge, even if it was from her sister. However, before damage could be physically done, Aria quickly removed her arms from Allen and grabbed his hand, pulling him with her as she ran. Of course, it was impolite to just rudely leave that way, so she had thrown the other pair a cheeky grin before their abrupt departure.

The younger twin and the redhead stood there, dumbfounded. Then they composed themselves, Armentice loosening her grip on his arm.

"She's having a lot of fun."

Lavi gave a chuckle in agreement. Aria and Allen were definitely quite the duo.


	23. Turn Around

**shortie: turn around = being there = friends**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o23. Turn Around**

They were the best of friends.

Their relationship was quite intimate, not in the aspects of actual physical activities. No, it was more of a mutual understanding and acceptance of each other. They didn't need to use formalities or even put on their polite façade; they already knew the other was hiding something.

Despite the fact that everyone assumed they were "together" and that they continuously denied it, they would sometimes embrace or playfully tease one another. These actions were more from comfort than anything, and it tremendously annoyed Kanda because he wasn't a happy person. So, he would always hiss at them to take their fluff somewhere else, which usually caused an argument that would always escalate. Of course, Aria had enough sense to drag Allen away before things got out of hand, leaving behind a brooding swordsman.

Needless to say, they were more keen to each other's feelings and emotions than most people were. If Allen was upset, he wouldn't have to go far because Aria would be right behind him. If Aria was quieter than usual, all she needed to do was turn around and she would find her solace, because he wasn't too far behind her.

_Let everyone else think what they want._

Those two knew what they were to each other, and it didn't matter what anyone else said or thought. Unfortunately, that never stopped Allen from blushing madly.


	24. Hate is the Strongest Emotion

**shortie: It's always fun to write Allen and Kanda butting heads. XDD  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o24. Hate is the Strongest Emotion**

It was a disaster. Komui should have known better than to pair up Allen and Kanda together; they were complete opposites with different beliefs and views. For better or for worse, he had Aria tag along. It was a formula for endless pain and death. Only one courageous Finder volunteered to help out with the mission.

The train ride to Erzurum, Turkey, was quite lively. At first it was silent, but when a few giggly girls of supposedly noble blood passed their open compartment, they caused the Japanese teen to scare them away with some violent threats while brandishing Mugen to show them he meant what he said. Like a chain reaction, Allen defended them and told him off, which inevitably led to an all-out brawl with their fists.

_Boys,_ Aria mentally sighed in exasperation.

She eventually had to separate them when they started tearing up the compartment. The female Finder had accidentally gotten assaulted when she tried to stop them and, thus, retreated to go get ice for her swollen cheek and bruised forehead.

The two boys sat across from each other, avoiding eye contact with the other. The snow-white haired girl was settled on the floor by their feet since she didn't want to take sides and worsen the situation than what it already was. They were both fuming, and the group haven't even arrived at their destination! The next time Komui set her up with those two she was going to throttle him.


	25. Eighteen

**shortie: This one was really fun to write, too.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o25. 18**

_Yes._

_No._

_Yes._

_No._

_Yes._

…_No._

Aria tossed the last petal to the ground, a frown adorning her features.

So, Kanda and Allen weren't going to cooperate or reconcile anytime soon, foretold the flower she had clutched in her hand.

She pursed her lips together, tossing it to the ground.

It had eighteen petals. Kanda was eighteen years old. Maybe the flower was foretelling of _Kanda's decision_ and not the turnout of the situation.

Straightening from the rail she was leaning against, she decided to go find some more flowers. Maybe she should find flowers with an odd-number of petals.


	26. Show Me a Sunset

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o26. Show Me a Sunset**

It was getting dark. Streaks of pink, red, and orange were splayed across the violet-blue sky. The golden yellow sun was sinking beyond the horizon.

"We should find somewhere to rest for the night," suggested Allen.

Kanda scoffed at him but did not disagree. They began walking to the nearest inn with the Finder in tow.

Aria, however, had other plans. She stayed rooted in her spot, gazing out towards the western sky. The eastern sky had already started darkening.

Allen glanced over his shoulder to see the older girl looking at the setting sun. He paused mid-step, calling out to her. She turned her head in response and silently blinked at him.

"Tch. What are you doing?" Kanda rebuked, dark gray eyes on her. He had also stopped.

"I want to see the sunset," she told him simply, turning back to it.

"Tch. It's a waste of time." Still, he found a lamppost to lean against.

The white-haired boy smiled in compliance and went to stand next to Aria, while the Finder stood a few feet from them.

As the sun lowered, the bright colors darken, the sun glowing a fiery orange. The sky turned red-orange at the last few moments of light, and then it paled into a royal purple, the eastern side a dark blue.

One by one, they moved from their spot and went to go find an inn, Aria being the last to leave the sight of the sunset. She trailed behind Kanda and reached out to lightly tug on the sleeve of his uniform. He whipped his head around to glare at her, but she only gave him a small smile in return.

"Arigatou gozaimasu."

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**shortie: She learned how to speak Japanese from Lavi, assuming he knows how to in the first place.**


	27. Falling Leaves

**shortie: This one's as serious and angsty as usual. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o27. Falling Leaves**

Like the leaves during the season of autumn, so do the lives of humans and akumas alike fall.

One after another after another does the level two akumas collapse in defeat, metallic blood spraying all over. The bubbling thirst inside of Aria continues to pump adrenaline through her, telling her to consume more enemies. She tries to smother it, but it is a failure, for she cannot overpower both the thirst and the akumas at the same time. Unfortunately, it does not matter, because each of the akuma that fall by her hand serves to keep that filthy thirst alive.

Although fortune was on her side by enabling her comrades to still be standing, it had no power over the threat forming inside of her.

Like the leaves during autumn, she would eventually fall.


	28. Reflection

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o28. Reflection**

She hated looking at herself in mirrors. She found no use of them and did not care about her vanity. How could something like that be vital to her?

Mirrors she could definitely live without.

She did not need to see herself every single minute of every single hour of every single day. Those were for people who did not know what was truly important. They were the ones who would regret many things on their deathbed as their soul ebbed away.

Even if she did look into a mirror, she would not see herself but rather the shell of the person she once was. It was something she didn't want to be reminded of, that she was as cold as ice with a beating heart that was not her own.

The real her had died a long time ago, and she doubted she would able to get her back.


	29. For This Moment It's Just You and I

**shortie: I didn't realize the pun until _after_ rereading it. lol. XD I didn't mean for this to happen, but I guess that's good.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o29. For This Moment; It's Just You and I**

Aria was quite surprised to see Kanda set in a mediating pose in the training room at the ungodly hour of two in the morning. Usually, whenever she made the nightly treks to the room, it was empty. This time it was not.

She went over to him, her loose cargo pants legs brushing with each movement, and sat down. It was unfortunate that she didn't feel comfortable with her legs crisscrossed, because repositioning her legs multiple times with the sound of fabric against fabric wasn't exactly calming for the Japanese teen.

"WOULD YOU QUIT IT?" he growled, extremely peeved.

She stopped moving and looked at him, blinking her onyx eyes. "I was uncomfortable," she explained.

"I. Don't. Care."

"You would if _you_ were uncomfortable."

"Why won't you shut up?"

"We weren't talking about me talking," she corrected. "It was about me moving around too much."

"Exactly," he grounded out. "And now you won't shut up."

She stopped talking to appease him, turning her head towards the wall opposite her. He exhaled a deep sigh, shifting in his spot and resuming his meditation.

For a few moments, she did nothing but sit there, listening to his even breathing. Running through a few options and weighing them in her mind, she quietly got up and tiptoed towards the exit. However, before she could open the door, Kanda spoke.

"Why are you leaving?"

"To give you some peace and quiet."

"You can't sleep." It was more of a statement than a question.

"I can't stay either."

"Tch. That's stupid."

Aria just had to smile. She returned to her seat next to him, definitely happier.

"Tell anyone about this and I'll kill you."


	30. Stale

**shortie: I need to write more lighthearted chapters like this one. **

**Stale: Worn out by use or familiarity; having lost its novelty and power of pleasing; trite; common. Having lost novelty or interest.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o3o. Stale**

Lavi and Armentice were in their "off" cycle. That was the reason why she held onto Allen as though there was no tomorrow. She had said that their relationship was tedious and that he kept on flirting with random women wherever they went. It felt more like a routine than a relationship, and that bothered her. She wanted something new, something different, and she sure as heck wasn't going to get it from the redhead.

Daisya felt overjoyed and saw that this was his chance.

"Maybe I should go after Kanda," she bluntly suggested, unknowingly breaking the jester's heart once more.

At the sound of his name, the Japanese teen gave her such an intense glare that she had to use Allen as a shield.

"Never mind!" she screamed in an attempt to stop his "attack."

"Tch." He walked away.

She peeked out from behind the boy and seeing it was safe, stepped back to her previous spot.

"As I was saying," she began, "I should go after…someone."

"How about the Millennium Earl?" Aria piped up.

Armentice reflexively gagged. "Ew, he's big and fat. His ears are too long. His smile's too big and scary. Not to mention, his skin's _gray_. Yuck. Besides, he's the enemy!"

"Well, he's definitely different. He doesn't have a routine. He can keep you interested and amused. He's always cheerful," rambled the elder twin, counting the traits with her fingers.

"Whatever," groaned the younger twin, disregarding Aria altogether. "Forget I even said anything."

"You said you wanted something new and different."

Lenalee and Allen laughed at the twins.


	31. Steal Away

**shortie: This is pretty random. XD Oh, yeah. I want to thank all of my wonderful readers----yes, even the ghost readers. You guys make me so happy. :DD  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o31. Steal Away**

The elder twin was walking along the gigantic halls of the Black Order with Allen as usual. They were chatting about the weather, Komui's eccentricity, the Black Order, anything that came up during their conversation. The talk soon turned towards the relationship between Armentice and Lavi, the former whom was bouncing her way towards them.

"ALLEN! ALLEN!" she called out energetically.

They paused in their talk, turning their attention towards the younger twin. As she neared them, she slyly yanked on Allen's arm and ran off with him. His yells echoed off the walls. Aria stood there, taking in what just happened.

"You could have just asked," she deadpanned, though her sister was long gone.


	32. A Rose with Thorns

**shortie: I like this one. :D Hopefully, I got him IC.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o32. A Rose with Thorns**

Kanda was similar to a rose. It was beautiful, and so was he. Yet, despite their physical beauty, they had thorns, and Kanda sure had many. He didn't like being touched. He hated weaklings. He would kill anyone if they angered him, friend or foe, or menacingly threaten them. He wasn't one to be nice, polite, or even courteous. He was cold, ominous, and mean. He preferred actions over planning and words; he could always ask questions afterwards. He was always in a grouchy mood, whether it was a nice day out or not. He didn't like naïve people simply because they were the biggest idiots and the most gullible people.

His thorns were like a defense mechanism to ward off those that annoyed and bothered him. So, when Aria told him her thoughts about him being like a rose, it was a natural reaction to glare at her. Like usual, it never seemed to faze her, which led him to think she had developed some sort of anti-glare barrier. Or maybe he was getting too soft.

Tch. Yeah right.

But as Aria walked away, he couldn't help but ponder how much she resembled a rose herself. She was a rose with many thorns, because she did not easily let people see her true self. Even if she did, he knew she would prick more than just their fingers.


	33. I Am Not That Weak Child

**shortie: So, this is a bit before the mission of finding the Generals. Leverrier, for some reason (maybe curiosity of their Innocence), decided to drag the Locken twins from Headquarters to see how they fared in battle and such. Of course, Komui was most reluctant in letting them go.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o33. I Am Not That Weak Child**

A growl rumbled from Armentice's throat, anger vividly contorting her usually happy expression. She gave a yell and charged her opponent. However, he easily dodged her rather ungraceful attack, knocking her feet out from under her. She fell to the ground face first. Picking herself up, she shakily got onto her feet, dirt smeared across her cheeks, nose, and forehead.

Oh, he was going to pay.

She got into a fighting stance, crouching fairly low with her legs spread apart, her heels digging into the soil. Since Aria was here, watching from the sidelines, Armentice could easily overtake the guy with her Innocence. All she had to do now was wait patiently.

The corners of his mouth turned upwards into a sneer, underestimating the girl. Muttering a spell underneath his breath, he sent it spiraling towards her in the form of a sphere, blue flames licking against the wind.

In the blink of an eye, Armentice appeared in front of him, her blade of an arm pushed uncomfortably into his neck, careful to not break the skin, as the two halves of the sphere evaporated into thin air. A smirk adorned her dirty features in victory, while his were twisted into one of obvious distaste at having lost to a girl. There was a round of applause, signaling the end of their spar. The girl removed her arm from his neck, throwing him one last look before heading over to her sister. He could only stare in contempt.

"You're much stronger than before," commented Aria with a small smile.

The younger twin gave a happy chuckle. "I'm not that weak child I once was."


	34. Dangerous Person

**shortie: Aria likes the company of the strange, weird, and outcasts. I feel bad for Link...just a smidgen. Ha.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o34. Dangerous Person**

Inspector Malcolm C. Leverrier was someone you knew not to cross. He had power. He had fame. He had social status. He had money. He had a dangerous and deadly disposition. If looks could kill, his frightening glare could kill ten thousand times over with a single glance. Yet, despite that, Aria found his company quite enjoyable.

They were sitting on opposite couches, sipping tea and munching on the delicious cake he baked. They chatted as if they were old friends meeting for the first time in a long while. However, Armentice was completely uncomfortable at their friendly act and was paranoid that he had poisoned the tea _and_ the cake. So, she sat there next to Aria, fiddling with her hands in a nervous gesture. Her eyes darted back and forth as though something terrifying was going to jump out from the shadows.

A hand was placed on her shoulder, spooking her. As a immediate reaction, she shrieked, grabbing the untouched plate of cake in front of her and smashing it against whomever was behind her. This caught the attention of the other two, whom took a pause in their conversation to see what the fuss was all about.

There stood Inspector Howard Link, stained with the pink-and-white cake, frosting dripping off of his face. An evident frown marred his face, his lips pressed tightly together. He was regretting volunteering to help Leverrier.


	35. Gone

**shortie: The sisters constantly keep in touch with Komui and the HQ, even asking for the well-being of the others. ....Please don't hurt me.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o35. Gone**

"Inspector, may I go make a call?"

It was a simple request from Aria to Leverrier. It was said in the politest of ways. Yet, Armentice saw it as a death trap for herself. If her sister left, she would be all alone with the scary Hitler look-alike. However, her subtle hints went unheeded as he gave the elder twin permission to do so, calling upon Link to lead her to a phone.

"Of course," he obediently bowed, exiting the room with Aria in tow.

Armentice felt ready to cry in hysterics with her sister gone. The Inspector found it amusing, his lips crinkled into a polite smile.

The walk wasn't long. The short inspector led the girl to a phone as asked, and she hooked it up to her black golem just like the way Reever, Johnny and Tapp showed her (multiple times). She held the receiver up to her ear just as the line started ringing.

"LENALEE! I---"

"No, Komui, it's Aria," she sighed.

She could hear his heart falter in sadness on the other line. His younger sister wasn't currently at Headquarters?

"Well, anyway, how are you and your sister?" he asked in a falsely chipper voice after composing himself from the disappointment. "The Inspector isn't giving you two much trouble, is he?"

"We're fine, but Armentice has a few issues with him," she deadpanned.

There was laughter. "At least the two of you are doing well."

"Are you well?" she abruptly inquired.

The bluntness and concern of the question threw him off, and silence reigned the line. However, he eventually spoke. "Yes, I'm just worried. Thank you for your concern, Aria."

The small smile in his voice made her smile in return. "You're welcome. By the way, how is Allen and the others?"

"Presumably good; I just heard from Lenalee a few days ago," he told her. Then quickly explained, "She's with him and Lavi. Apparently, they found a new Exorcist."

"That's good; we need more. And how about Kanda and the others? How are they doing?"

There was a heavy pause, a strong hesitation, from Komui. Did something happen to them? They were a strong group, and she believed they would be able to get through whatever came their way.

"I believe they met up with General Tiedoll, according to Marie's recent report. However"----here he sucked in a sharp breath, as though readying himself to relay horrible news----"Daisya was killed in action. Even his Innocence was destroyed. I-I'm so sorry."

Aria couldn't believe what she heard. Even if it came straight from the Supervisor's mouth, it was incredible. Her heart tightly clenched in pain. Her breathing starting becoming shallow and shaky. Her grip on the receiver had grown so rigid that her knuckles turned white.

Shit.

"…Aria?" came Komui's concerned voice.

DAMN IT!

In a fit of fury she harshly slammed her fist against the wall, punching out a hole. This caused both Link and Komui to startlingly yell at her. However, she paid no mind to either of them as Daisya's face flickered through her mind. She further alarmed them, Link more than Komui, as she started to cry, tears rapidly pooling in her eyes only to stream down her cheeks.


	36. Acid

**shortie: this is the definition of acid that was I was working with when writing this piece: sharp, biting, or ill-natured in mood, manner, etc. Sorry I wasn't able to upload & update over the weekend; too many brothers and not enough computers to go around. Heh.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o36. Acid**

The way Inspector Leverrier handled the news of the death of an Exorcist was highly disturbing, and it outraged Aria. He was supposed to care, supposed to show at least a bit of sadness, but obviously their lives (and deaths) didn't mean much to him as long as they won the war against the Earl.

The stupid Vatican was supposed to care that their people were dying for their cause, that these Exorcists and Finders, who put their lives on the line, lived and died to fight for peace and justice. Komui, Reever, Johnny, Tapp, and the others back at Headquarters cared. They did everything they could, everything in their power, everything their abilities allowed them to, to make sure that death did not befall upon the Exorcists.

And here was the chortling Leverrier, an evil smile placed upon his clean features. He was the one who deserved to die, not Daisya.


	37. Weapon

**shortie: This one's kind of a repeat of the previous chapter. =|**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o37. Weapon**

Of course….

Exorcists were only mere tools. Their lives were only sacrifices in this game of war with the Millennium Earl. They were weapons to be used and then tossed away when they became useless. They were worthless if they couldn't fight. They were worthless if they died.

No matter what order they were given, they had to abide by it. They were puppets with strings being pulled by those up on the chain of command. If they broke, they would be fixed. If they broke down completely, they would have to be tossed. After all, they were nothing more than tools to be used, sheep to be thrown to the hungry and rabid wolves waiting to tear them apart.


	38. Those Hands

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o38. Those Hands**

He should have seen it coming. He should have known it was bound to happen with the way he was rambling on about not caring. However, Aria wasn't expecting _him_ to block her from the evil creature she was targeting. At least, someone else anticipated it, because she wouldn't have known what to do afterwards if she actually did manage to tear apart the Inspector.

Link had defended with a pair of switchblades, which were hidden underneath his sleeves, against her sword of an arm. She knew he wasn't going to let her touch a single hair on Leverrier, but that didn't mean she couldn't take out her anger on him instead. Narrowing her eyes, she pulled back her sword-arm, transfiguring it into a thicker and sharper one as she rammed it against his switchblades. They immediately shattered upon contact, leaving him completely open and defenseless. He sure was surprised.

_Do it._

The bubbling thirst cried out, anxious to taste blood. It swelled up inside her, blinding her morals and smothering the nagging voice of her conscience. She obeyed without a second thought, bringing her transfigured arm down onto the fearful man.

It cackled happily, overjoyed that there was finally blood. Yet, it wasn't Link's blood, for he was no longer standing in front of her. Instead, it was Armentice, and the elder twin could barely register the fact that she had struck her own flesh and blood. Shock had overcame her. The panic in the younger twin's eyes mirrored the elder's.

What has she done?


	39. Let's Try Again

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o39. Let's Try Again**

Aria was unusually sober and silent. She did not look anyone in the eye, nor did she answer anyone's calls or questions. She kept her gaze downcast and shuffled morbidly around the place as though she was a shadow on the wall or a lingering ghost whenever she was kicked out of her room. The majority of the time she locked herself in her sleeping quarters and stayed in bed the whole day. It was too much trouble handling this new side of Aria. Even Leverrier wasn't sure of what to make of it.

So, when he approached while she was infecting the hallway with her dreadfully gloomy mood, he decided to start their relationship anew. (It was only because she was too damn good of an Exorcist to die from grief.)

"Let's try this again," he told her.

She only threw him a spiteful look, which had no effect whatsoever since she didn't have any energy to be upset with him.

"I won't press any charges or have you put on trial for that little _mishap _of yours."

Couldn't he just leave her alone to mope in her guilt and misery?

"Let's be friends."

Her lips were pursed into a thin line. What he just said sounded so much like a pedophile. However, if she agreed, then maybe he'll leave her alone for the day.

"We could try," she mumbled, doubting it would happen.


	40. Nightmares

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o4o. Nightmares**

Every single night after she had been informed of Daisya's death, Aria began having nightmares with him involved. It would always began with her sneaking up on him, brandishing a knife. Then she would proceed to stab him repeatedly, even when he fell unconscious. Blood would cover her hands, the knife, and the front of her attire. Few drops of it, definitely his, would land on her face and run down to her chin. When she licked the trailing blood, she would feel elated. She would feel the need to further quench her thirst. Then she would wake up in a cold sweat, unable to return to sleep.

After the incident with Armentice, she would have the same nightmares but her little sister would replace Daisya. It continued in this way, and she would now wake up with a thirst for blood. It made her fearful of herself because she didn't want to succumb to the lust, but she felt her self-control slowly ebbing away each night.


	41. Pushing You Away

**shortie: Aria has the need and responsibility to take of care of herself. She never really had anyone to rely on for help or comfort during hard times, so that strongly prevents her from seeking those things. Not to mention, she sort of has a low self-esteem despite how composed she can be.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o41. Pushing You Away**

When the Locken twins returned to Headquarters with Inspectors Leverrier and Link, they didn't know what to expect. Everything was chaotic, and everyone was busy with something or other. The Generals were all together. The current Exorcists were all together. Something was happening. Something was changing.

Armentice immediately went to the infirmary upon hearing how injured Allen and the others were, but Aria was more than reluctant to go visit. She didn't want to see Kanda and Marie without Daisya. She wouldn't be able to handle it.

As each day passed by, she avoided Armentice. She avoided Allen because Link was now with him. She didn't go find comfort from Kanda. She left Marie alone. She didn't go introduce herself to the new Exorcists. She ignored Lenalee. She barely ate. She rarely slept, just laid there in bed staring at the ceiling. She didn't interact with anyone, because they all had their own issues to deal with. They didn't need hers added to the pile.

Yet, she did not see the worried glances. She never noticed the concern etched on their faces. She never caught the looks they exchanged with one another. She didn't see how much it bothered them that she was pushing them away. They wanted to help, but she wouldn't let them.


	42. Reach Out

**shortie: Aria just is full of angst. *sigh* Wait till Armentice's turn. ;P**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o42. Reach Out**

The only person with enough courage to approach Aria was Tiedoll. He often visited her in her room and had one-sided conversations with her. He was patient, yet persistent and wouldn't yield to her everlasting silence. He talked about the sea, the land, his art, the people he met, and his career. He even opted to speaking about Daisya, which always made the both of them tear up. He brought food whenever she missed meals and escorted her to the restroom when she needed to use it.

When he started urging her to eat her meals in the dining hall with everyone else, she flat out refused. However, he continued doing so until she half-heartedly let herself get dragged out of her room for meals. Unfortunately, she wouldn't eat much and always picked at the food on her plate. Tiedoll would order different sorts of food for her until he found some she would begrudgingly consume. Soon, he invited the other Exorcists to sit with them, but she acted as though they weren't even there.

Kanda got extremely aggravated one time she did this and blew up at the table, scattering the plates of food and angering Allen in the process. Aria only continued to ignore him. That was, until he grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her up to him, yelling his voice off and deafening her at the same time. For some reason, this angered her, and she unexpectedly attacked him with her arm morphed into the blade of a sword.

Blood spilled onto the table and the floor as Kanda instinctively backed away, his shirt torn at the shoulder and stained with blood, utterly surprised. The others were frozen with shock. Gasps went around the cafeteria. Aria, fueled by anger and bloodlust, charged towards the Japanese teen, swiping at him with her sword-arm. Cursing the fact that Mugen was still in repair, he fled backwards while dodging her attacks. She made a mess of foods, tables, chairs, and dishes but didn't care.

People moved out of the way for fear of getting caught in the warpath of the elder twin. They scrambled to get out of their seats. Some of them screamed like little girls, running for their lives.

Tiedoll knew Aria was going to end up killing his student if he didn't do something about it. Just as she lashed out her other arm, which turned into a vicious rope, he had Miranda stop her movements. She abruptly stopped all movement, completely frozen in mid-step. Kanda was bleeding and breathing heavily on the floor. Tables were scattered and broken. Food was thrown everywhere and dirtied the ground. Dishes were shattered. Jerry was throwing a fit about wasted food and such, while everyone else was holding their breaths until it was safe to exhale.

So much for helping Aria. It turned out to be a disaster.

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**shortie: Oh yeah. I'm not entirely sure if Miranda's Innocence can stop actual movements. So, forgive me if you're confused or upset. X|**


	43. For You

**shortie: I love this one. I really liked writing it. I think I even cried while writing this; can't seem to recall, though. The piano piece I was thinking of was Pachelbel's "Canon in D". You can think of some other that you like, if you want.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o43. For You**

The elder of the Locken twin had soon secluded herself to the library, refusing meals, sleep, and any visitors. She isolated herself to the towering stacks of books, filling her empty and quiet days with words and stories. Any novel she found irritating she would recklessly toss in a random direction. She had no time or patience to deal with the foolishness of light and frilly stories.

Her erratic behavior tremendously worried those who cared, those who bothered to remember her. What could they do to help her, to save her from herself? She wouldn't even let them approach her, and even if she did, she would act as though there was no presence hovering over her. It was more trouble than it needed to be. However, they just couldn't leave her alone for fear she would abandon the Black Order----abandon them.

They needed to do something. But what?

As Aria sat by herself amongst the city of books, faint notes of a piano floated to her ears. She perked up, drawing her attention away from the thick book that settled in her lap. Her curiosity got the better of herself as she got to her feet.

What was it, the song that was being played? She was sure she heard it once before. And _who_ was playing it? It couldn't be one of the members of the Order, could it? If she had known one of them had the ability to play the piano, she would have latched herself to them. Since she didn't, it was possible it really was one of them.

She didn't need any directions, because her feet were leading her to the whereabouts of the music. The piece continuously played, over and over, casting its mysterious magic over her as she followed the resounding musical notes. Soon enough, she was inside the Ark, in a large empty room. The music flowed from behind the double doors, and Aria opened them to be greeted with the sight of a Victorian parlor couch in one corner of the room, a few scattered chairs, and Allen sitting at the piano, which was slightly angled away from the doors.

The last few notes of the melody died, and he looked up at her, smiling. Tears immediately flooded to her eyes, streaming quickly down her cheeks. She was suddenly overwhelmed with intense emotions and couldn't bring herself to stop crying. A sob elicited from her throat as her legs gave way from beneath her. She sat upon the floor, tears creating a pool as they fell. Her eyes never left Allen's form. He went over to her, kneeling down to her level with the smile still on his face. No words were exchanged as they stared at one another, and none were needed, especially during times like these. He pulled her into a warm embrace, comforting her as she cried into chest, soaking his shirt.


	44. Cage

**shortie: Even sometimes I feel caged within society, stuck in the rather suffocating confines of my small house, whether or not filled with the presence of my family.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o44. Cage**

Aria had felt restricted to society's laws,

to its view of how ladies should act,

to the fact that she was the eldest,

to her own values and morals.

It was difficult for her to breathe,

to have a single coherent thought,

to easily smile,

to not feel torn in two different directions.

She could not embrace the her she was now,

could not grab a hold of the feelings and emotions buried deep within,

could not overcome the growing fear in her ever-weakening heart,

could not cry out for a helping hand.

But deep down, she knew if anyone could help her escape her cage, it would definitely be the people at the Black Order.


	45. Painful Silence

**shortie: Aria's sick due to the overwhelming stress and inner battle she's having with herself. So, that definitely takes a heavy toll on her body (and Innocence). This is just the start of Armentice's emo-ness.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o45. Painful Silence**

It was strange how Armentice suddenly became sullen, succumbing to a ghostly image of her usual perky self. Of course, they knew it had something to do with the current state Aria was in.

After Allen's confrontation with her, Aria had fallen into a state of deep confliction, which inevitably caused her to come down with an illness. This resulted in her being bedridden. Of course, she had many visits, usually from Matron, Tiedoll, Marie, Allen (and Link), and Lenalee. Sometimes Komui would go see her, if he was successfully able to sneak away from his office. It was the same with Lavi, only he had to slip away from the ever watchful Bookman. Armentice, on the other hand, avoided her sister's room as though it was the plague.

She did not trap herself inside her room. Instead, she would make her way through the halls every single day, dragging her feet against the marble floor to create an irritating squeaky noise, which caused Kanda to react in his usual violent manner. She lost her appetite, eating very little. She barely even made any conversation with anyone, which was quite unlike her. It was eerie seeing her this way, and no one ever wanted to see her so deathly silent again.


	46. I Don't Want to Remember

**shortie: AGH. I really like this piece, even though it's so dark and gloomy and sad and angsty and practically each word is full guilt. *sigh* Shows how much of a pessimist I really am. -_-U ...and it only has begun....**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o46. I Don't Want to Remember**

In her heart she knew it was true.

Hidden deep within the confines of her memories were the evidence. She could not deny it.

In her mind she could not shake them away.

They were hauntingly persistent, gnawing and clawing at her no matter how many times she pushed them afar.

She would whimper, ears covered, eyes tightly shut, head bowed, crouching in the shadows of her room. It would never work, trying to shy away from them like that. So weak and pathetic, crying in the comforting covers of the darkness. It was a heart wrenching sight, but she exposed it to no one. It was her burden and hers alone. After all, Aria was only terribly sick because of her.

Was it guilt? Of course, it bloody was. Why else would Armentice's heart weigh down so heavily in her aching chest?

The memories.

Those little things that tipped her off.

The smell of metallic in the air.

The forced and estranged smile.

The dark bags under Aria's tired eyes.

The aloof manner.

All this and still she believed that it was only an illusion, tricks her mind was playing on her. Yet, deep in her heart, she knew and she feared. Maybe that was why she denied everything and attempted to repress it-----because she was afraid of what was happening to her elder sister and the part she played in it.

She should have done something----anything!----to stop her when she still had a chance. It was too late now; Aria suffered the consequences and continuously suffered thereafter.

Vivid memory after vivid memory…

It was much too easy to remember all the details now. They embedded themselves into the flesh of Armentice's heart, into her mind, into her soul, burning hotly as though the flames of hell were licking at her.


	47. Strangle

**shortie: AH! It's an update. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o47. Strangle**

As each day passed and as Aria's condition worsen even just a little as time flew by, Armentice continuously wallowed in guilt and misery. She couldn't withstand the straining pain of watching or hearing how weak her elder twin currently was.

Labored breaths.

Breakouts of hot or cold perspiration.

Burning fever throughout the long nights.

Tossing and turning.

Increased body temperature.

Lack of consciousness.

Ghostly white flesh.

Flushed cheeks.

Chapped lips.

Shaky movements.

Watery eyes.

Dry throat.

No energy.

It felt eerie to see her suddenly start to crumble. It was too surreal to be credible. Yet, here she was, succumbed to the power of a mysterious sickness that was killing her from the inside. She was incredibly vulnerable, and it freaked Armentice out. Never once before had she witnessed her sister in such a state, and never again did she ever want to.

She was always so strong and courageous, at times bordering on recklessness.

Armentice couldn't bear the growing bad news. It suffocated her, its hands tightly grasped around her soft neck, cutting off her air supply bit by bit as the days slowly progressed.


	48. Lies

**shortie: Sorry if it's a bit confusing. X|**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o48. Lies**

No matter how many times she told herself it wasn't true, she always found another reason to replace it.

No matter how many times she told herself it was only a trick being played by her eyes, she would stubbornly cling to it so as not to see the truth.

No matter how many times she told herself Aria was just overworking herself-----because she _was_ like that-----she constantly left her alone to rest.

No matter how many times she told herself her sister was working odd jobs------even if they _were_ at night------there was nothing to worry about, that Aria would be fine.

No matter how many times she told herself her elder twin was trying to do too many things at once, she never once went to comfort her, to scold her for being an extreme workaholic.

No matter how many times she told herself that things would get better, that Aria would get healthier, she became blind to the obvious truth.

Despite how many lies she told herself and how many times she reminded herself of those lies, they couldn't reassure her now. They no longer can soothe her aching soul, her breaking heart. Because now, the truth stood vividly in front of her and wouldn't disappear anytime soon. She could no longer hide away from it.

She spun a web of lies so she wouldn't have to deal with the reality of things, and it worked because she could dance away her days and nights with frivolous parties and chats with gorgeous men. It caught up to her the moment Aria fell ill, and without hesitation, it proceeded to punish her for her sinful and selfish deeds.


	49. Free Fall

**shortie: This is a dream.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o49. Free Fall**

Armentice was falling through the sky in a downward descent. She was gaining momentum too fast and was soon going to be nothing more than a pile of goo on the surface of the earth. Her skin was already pricking with heat. The wind whipped her short hair against her face, whistling sharply and quite loudly in her ears. Her clothes were no more than dead weight, allowing gravity to draw her in with only a single, gentle pull. There was no way she would be able to stop herself from falling, from crashing into the hard ground. Even if she found a way, it would probably be too late.

She had no power over Mother Nature. Nor over gravity.

Should she wait to be saved like always?

Aria was always protecting her. Lavi was always saving her. Kanda was always complaining about her lack of self-defense. Lenalee would gingerly smile, always a little sad, and even she could fight for herself. Allen always gave that polite smile, the one that was practically recognizable on Aria's emotionless face, and told her that it would be better the next time. Marie would only stay silent, a small smile on his face, but even that was enough to tell her that she was basically useless. Miranda was more valuable in battle, because she usually helped no matter the condition she was in. She always gave it her all, and _she_ was the one who appeared to be the most inept. And Daisya----

Daisya was always nice about it, wasn't he? Always going on and on about how she could fight if she just put her mind to it. He was the one who cheered her on, despite how dreary the situation looked.

Didn't she learn how to defend herself? Didn't she learn how to fight? She showed it to Aria, to Link, to Leverrier, to that lousy guy of her opponent. So, then why couldn't she do that now?

Because she was falling. She had no strength left. She didn't so much as have a bit of hope in her.

Why should she be saved, anyway?


	50. Tomorrow

**shortie: This is obviously a memory of the past. It's when they were kids and living with their foster parents. They were/are orphans as babies, and so, their foster parents took them in because they couldn't have kids of their own.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o5o. Tomorrow**

"_You shouldn't do that," Aria pointed out. "It's bad manners; didn't Mum tell you?"_

_Armentice looked up at her sister, flabbergasted that she was caught in the midst of fixing the broken vase. She flushed in embarrassment, hands trembling._

"_I-I didn't mean for it to happen, Ar," she cried, tears rapidly pooling in her dark eyes. "It j-just did!"_

_Waving off the childish excuse, considering the fact that they _were_ children, Aria stooped down to her younger twin's level. She roamed her eyes over each broken piece as though it was another puzzle set their foster parents had bought from the city._

"_Don't worry about it," she cheerily smiled at the tear-streaked face of Armentice. "I'll help glue it back together."_

_The younger lit up with glee, but then she turned fearful as Aria continued on._

"_We have to tell Mum what happen, though."_

"_B-but if I get punished? My f-friends won't like it if I do, 'cus then I wouldn't be able to play with them."_

"_Then they're not really your friends if they act that way, now are they?"_

_Armentice took a long moment to think about it, blinking her large eyes as Aria arranged the pieces in accordance to how they fit together. Then she scrunched up her face in confusion._

"_I don't understand. Why wouldn't they be my friends?"_

_A few pieces of the vase _clank_ed against each other. Aria's small hands lightly touched the smooth surfaces of random shards, careful as to not cut a finger._

"_Because they'll be upset if you're not able to play with them outside," she replied. Then she proceeded to elaborate as a glance upward told her that Armentice was understanding the notion. "If they're truly your friends, then they should play with you _inside_ the house if you get in trouble. That way, you won't feel so lonely, and it shows they really care."_

"_But Ar, what are supposed to do inside then? There's not much to do."_

"_You could always play with dolls or have tea or read stories to each other or act out a play. There's lots of stuff; you just have to think hard. Ah, there!"_

_Aria placed the piece in her hand with its rightful group, grinning broadly. Armentice squealed happily._

"_All we have to do now is glue it back together!"_

_The elder laughed. "Mum probably won't punish you after all. So, you can play outside tomorrow."_

"_You want to go to the river tomorrow? I play too much with my friends, anyway."_

"_That sounds like fun."_


	51. Feathers

**shortie: Another memory.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o51. Feathers**

"_Hey, Ar?"_

"_Yeah?" She tore her gaze from the book in her hands to look at her younger sister._

_Armentice was currently doodling on a piece of paper, crayons and colored pencils scattered around her work area._

"_What do you think of angels?"_

_A frown was etched upon Aria's face, eyes slightly narrowed in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"_

_The other girl revised her question." Uh, do you believe in angels?"_

"_What suddenly brought this on?"_

_Snapping her attention to her elder sister, she scowled, "Why do you keep countering my questions with one of your own?"_

"_Because I can," Aria laughed, eyes back onto her book._

_An annoyed huff from Armentice told Aria that her sister wasn't going to bother on with the initial question. The _skritch-scratch_ of colored pencils on paper filled the air as silence reigned the room._

"_I think you're an angel, Ar," the younger twin announced quietly._

_This statement caught the elder off guard. Blinking owlishly, she peered over to the hunched form of Armentice. "What makes you say that?"_

"_Well," she began, not looking up from her drawing, "angels are guardians, and guardians are protectors. And you're my protector because you're the eldest. So, it only makes sense if you're also an angel."_

"_Not all protectors or guardians are angels, Art," Aria informed. "I was born the same way you were, and if I'm an angel, wouldn't that make you one, too? We're twins, after all."_

"_No," Armentice argued, shaking her head, now making eye contact with her sister. "Because------because angels look after other people and take care of them, which is the same way as you do. A-and Mummy and Daddy would be angels, also, 'cus they look after us since we were babies."_

_Chuckling, Aria couldn't help but fall for Armentice's innocent and childish views. "Then that makes you an angel, too."_

_She shook her head once more. "If we're both angels, then one of us is light and the other is darkness. That means we would be enemies."_

"_That's silly. We wouldn't be enemies. We're not right now, are we?"_

_She had to agree with that one._


	52. Torn Loyalties

**shortie: Eh... I don't particularly like this one. It's okay. I wish it was better. X|**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o52. Torn Loyalties**

_It was difficult to tune out that voice heeding to her wants and desires and selfishness, but she would bear through it, no matter how much she wanted to do as it said. She wouldn't let it manipulate her, no matter how much she wanted to break free from the worldly responsibilities. After all, she was in control of herself._

…_wasn't she?_

_Anyhow, it would soon stop if Aria was obstinate enough to not listen to its enduring cries._

_Sometimes, it was loud and would scream its head off, if it had one. Other times, it was quiet and fuming, waiting for the perfect opportunity. However, it tended to be smothered by her desires and responsibility of Armentice. It was during those times that Aria could fully relax and not worry about losing her self-control. Yet, when Armentice proved to Inspector Leverrier of her fighting capabilities, the snarling voice told her in a smug voice that she was no longer needed._

_And she believed it._


	53. Stuck InBetween

**shortie: I like this one, even though it's so short. :D It's another dream. It basically applies to both Armentice and Aria.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o53. Stuck In-Between**

Two paths.

The main dirt road branched off into two, one forking over to the right and the other to the left. There was no sign to tell of where she would be heading if she chose either one. That only made the decision harder. However, she could always head back the way she came from.

No, the journey back would take too long. Besides, where would she go if she went back? She had no clue if there was even _anything_ or _anyone _back there waiting for her. It would probably be best to continue forward.

Yes, but in which direction?


	54. Fragrance

**shortie: Aw, it's another dream.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o54. Fragrance**

Something sweet and flowery floated through the air. It pricked at her nose, causing her to wrinkle it in slight irritation at how strong the aroma was.

What in the world was it?

She lifted her nose up into the air, trying to decipher the origin of the scent. There was a hint of honey laced in the fragrance. There were definitely flowers, maybe cow parsleys (_Anthriscus sylvestri)_ or cowslips (_Primula veris_) or the _Bellis perennis_, the common daisy. She was able to detect the subdued odor of grass on the light breeze as it tickled her cheek.

Why did it smell so familiar?

Deciding to find out for herself, she began following the scent, trekking along the dirt path she was on.

Wave after wave of vast open space greeted her, caked with short grass that reached up to her shins. Cow parsleys, tiny pearl white flowers attached to long olive green stems and leaves, stretched out towards her. Cowslips, bright, golden yellow, excitedly waved at her. Daisies, pure white with an orange-yellow center, sprouted out from the ground, littered amongst the fields.

The sun, flamboyant and warm, glowed in the wide cerulean sky, which was clean of clouds.

A small rural town stood lonesome at the bottom of the hill. Its brown-grey buildings were modestly constructed. Some were painted various light colors to stand out, announcing its individuality and uniqueness from the others. One in particular caught the girl's attention; it wasn't as nice as a few of the other homes nor was it vibrantly painted. Instead, it was rather demure and appearing almost shy, being located on the edge of the little town.

Home. That was her childhood home, her childhood town.


	55. Burn

**shortie: Well, lookie here. It's another flashback! This chapter was hard to write. I didn't exactly know how to word things the way I wanted them to be, but hopefully, it turned out all right.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o55. Burn**

_Why?_

_WHY?_

_WHY WAS THIS HAPPENING?_

"_Mummy! Daddy! Ar!"_

_Smoke came at her from all sides, the walls a brilliant red-orange. She felt suffocated, her lungs choking on carbon dioxide instead of swallowing the much needed oxygen. It caused her to cough violently._

"_Armentice, where are you?"_

_A panicked female voice. That was Mum._

"_Mummy!"_

_A hand grabbed a hold of her much smaller one, pulling her snug against a warm body. She clutched tightly onto her. Then the two of them began to maneuvered towards the exit. They ran out into the cold night air, gulping down the freshness of it. Armentice continued coughing._

"_Dearie, keep coughing," Mum urged, wiping at the soot on the girl's cheeks, voice quivering. She kneeled next to her. "That's my good girl. Now, I want you to flee to the river. You'll be a lot safer there, and there'll be people who can help take care of you, okay?"_

"_Mum, I want to stay with you," coughed the girl, peering up at her with wet eyes. "I don't want you to leave me."_

"_Now, now, dear," she shushed the child, stroking her hair. "I've got to go find your dad and Aria. Uncle Arthur's at the river; he'll watch you until I come. Understand?"_

_Reluctant to leave, Armentice nodded her head in comprehension. Tears had already formed in her dark eyes._

"_That's my girl." She kissed the child's forehead before urging her in the direction of the river. Then she made off in another direction, heart pounding loudly in her ears._

_Armentice stumbled over her own two feet, eyes wildly whipping around the torn scenery of the town. Flames roared from houses and buildings, contrasting vividly against the night sky. Shouts and screams went up into the air, hurting her eardrums, piercing through her shivering body. Fear pumped through her veins, eliciting the worse imaginable things that could (and was possibly) happen(ing) flash in her mind, causing her to grow even more anxious. With a bit of more vigor, she sped up, the short grass lapping up at her knees. She crushed flowers that were in her way, crinkling beneath the soles of her leather slippers, rushing towards the edge of the woods. Petals flew into the air as she harshly ran by, caught by the whistling breeze and then gently floated back down to the trodden ground. Her lungs started to hurt, and it became difficult to breathe. She slowed to a stop, gasping for fresh air._

"_Art!"_

_Just as Aria's cry was heard, a thunderous shriek shattered all hope for the poor girl. Armentice burst into tears, wholly terrified. Before she could get swiped at by whatever was attacking, she was none-too-gently tugged down the hill, feet awkwardly sliding on the soft soil. A large _boom_ from behind them and flying bits of dirt, grass, and flowers indicated Aria got Armentice away just in time. They ducked their heads so as to not get hit by any sailing debris while making their escape. The younger sister's grip on the elder's hand tighten._

_Aria led them straight into the shelter of the trees, dodging loose roots, rocky paths, and stray branches with ease. The younger one continued to stumble her way through the wooded area, tripping over things on their woven path that the elder avoided, stubbing her covered toes against rocks sticking up from the ground, and being viciously scratched by branches that seemed like extended arms. They ripped and tore at her dress, her cheeks, her exposed legs, her arms, even her hair._

_Soon, they could hear the rushing of water, the trickling of waves streaming along uneven surfaces. Armentice instinctively let out a short squeak of glee. Aria squeezed her hand, hope warming up in her._


	56. Something I Cannot Grasp

**shortie: I liked writing this one. :D ....even though it's a bit sad.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o56. Something I Cannot Grasp**

The Locken sisters were currently both bedridden. Aria was much too sick to be treated in the quiet comfort of her room, so she had been carefully moved to the sanctity of the antiseptic infirmary. Armentice had coughed up a fever of 38.46 degrees Celsius (about 101.23 degrees Fahrenheit), thus rendering her incapable of performing any activities or missions. She was also moved to a bed in the infirmary.

With two Exorcists sick, it felt dreadfully like the Black Order was losing the war to the Millennium Earl. It was a horrible feeling, not only to Leverrier but also to everyone else. However, he didn't have a speck of actual concern for the twins; he just needed them in fighting condition, which they weren't right now. They might as well as been killed in battle by an akuma or Noah.

Since Matron had closed off Aria's bed and prohibited any visits to see her, a precaution for everyone's safety at Headquarters, the teen's regular visitors were frustrated, some more so than others. That led to them bugging the stern Head nurse into giving them daily updates of her condition, which did not consist of any good news. So, that made their hopeful hearts plummet. Armentice, on the other hand, was not as sick, so she got plenty of visitors, mostly Lavi. He would sit there by her side, watching her sleep, her chest lowering and heightening with each exhale and inhale. Sometimes he did this for hours until someone, either Lenalee or Allen, came to take him away or until Matron shooed him out.

He understood their situation, but then again, he didn't. He knew Aria had committed something terrible in her past; he had seen shadows of it lurking behind her blank eyes. Armentice's behavior and condition of late confirmed that.

Yet, why was the younger one ill, too?

Well, determining that would take him a while.

There was always something slightly _wrong _with how Armentice acted. She was a lively person with a lighthearted personality. She was courteous at times and rude and spiteful the other times. Sure, she was a bit high maintenance, but that wasn't the issue at hand. There was something small, something minuscule that was just as off as Aria's overall composure. That tiny hint------that tiny foreshadow, if it could be called that, the "after-shadow"-------was the one piece of information that could help him interpret why they were the way they were and what had happened to make them this way.

But what _was _that piece of the puzzle?


	57. Pause

**shortie: A little bit of fluff, 'cus Cross is silly. XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o57. Pause**

"It's a pretty slow day," drawled the red haired General, one arm draped around the shoulders of General Cloud Nyne.

"No missions, remember?" scoffed the beautiful blonde, taking a sip of wine. "It'll be a while before we're all off on our own travels."

Cross cheekily grinned at her. "Ah, it sounds like you've missed me. Wanna make up for the lost of time?"

She slapped his face away from hers as she downed the last bit of her wine. "Idiot."

He sighed, gulping his own wine. The atmosphere turned quiet as Cloud poured herself more wine. Gingerly holding his nearly empty wine glass by the tips of his fingers, he offhandedly asked, "Who are those two girls?"

"The twins? They're Exorcists."

"But who are they?" he repeated. "They're really pretty, but their behaviors are strange."

"I don't know much about them. Go speak with Tiedoll; he was the one who found them."

"Hm?" Cross peered over at her, appearing incredulous at her statement. "That fatherly old artist?"

"That's what I just said, didn't I?"

He heaved another sigh, snuggling his face into the soft locks of her hair. She darkly frowned. "But I want to stay here with you."


	58. Cornerstone

**shortie: I like this one. It was enjoyable to write. Maybe 'cus it involved Allen. XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o58. Cornerstone**

Allen and Link were in the library, being as studious as ever, occupied with paperwork. It was something the white haired teen had resorted into doing to keep himself from worrying about the twins-----but mainly Aria. However, it was difficult to concentrate when his mind kept wandering over to her. It aggravated him that he couldn't help her now, that it was now entirely up to her to get herself out of the situation she was in. He felt completely powerless.

It had been evident that something wasn't right with her. From the way she smiled to how extremely calm and composed she was. It was peculiar, amusing, and quite terrifying to see how she could brush aside Kanda's remarks and treacherous glares like they were nothing but air. It was the same way with anything that would otherwise make people blush and titter in embarrassment. She was modest in attire, but her personality was the opposite. Although she didn't make perverse comments, she would unfailingly trail thinly on that line without much thought and care, causing others to flush bright pink and giggle immaturely. However, she had moments where she would break from the elaborate façade and show how she truly felt.

But those moments were rare.

She was really similar to him, in more ways than one, and it had made him feel insecure and vulnerable. He had felt naked, like his whole life was tattooed onto his flesh, and she knew the truth. Yet, as he opened up to her, without disclosing anything at all, she returned the gesture. She did not judge him as others had a tendency to do, nor did she tell him what to do. She only soaked in the soothing comfort of his presence, and he did the same.

Despite the illusions they both had set up, the walls they built around themselves, the acts they perfected, all of that came down around each other. Because they had traveled along similar paths. And so, they eventually became each other's strengths.

But he couldn't help her now, not when she was out of his reach.


	59. Illusion

**shortie: I tried. I kinda like it. I really hated it when those stupid rumors about Allen went around! GOSH!! DX**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o59. Illusion**

No one wanted to admit that Armentice had lied to them, when in fact she didn't. They didn't want to acknowledge that she had put up a sort of impression to throw them off, to tell them that she really was being the true her, when in fact she did none of that except _be _herself. They didn't like that Aria had falsely led them to believe she was who she acted, when in fact she only did to shield them from the pain that caused her misery. They didn't want to know that she didn't trust them, when in fact she could barely trust herself.

Johnny could only sit idly by, seething in apparent anger, unable to counter those rumors. They were nothing more than stupid gossip, but he didn't know enough of either twin to be able to get through to the bumbling people who knew nothing of them.

("Don't talk about them that way! They've helped us! They're our friends! So what if we know next to nothing about them!? They have a past, just like every single one of us! THEY'RE STILL GOOD PEOPLE!!"

The cafeteria immediately grew silent at his outburst, and it suddenly felt like déjà vu. Of course, he had did this very same thing with defending Allen beforehand. However, it wasn't like they would take him serious, anyway, but he couldn't just sit there while they gossiped about the Locken twins like a bunch of schoolgirls.)

Still, that didn't stop him from trying.

Reever, being the kind fellow he was, would correct those wrong information, adding in a subtle threat laced with his tone. He had an adequate amount of encounters with both twins to know they were human, flawed, and eccentric. It didn't matter if either one, or both, had set up a false image. He knew they had a good reason to. After all, they were only teenagers, and youngsters like them handled suffering in their own special way. He only wished they would let others help them.

Komui had no care for his image, but he couldn't shout and yell at anyone and everyone who dared sprout a piece of nonsense. So, instead, he told them off in a menacing and commanding voice. He _was_ the Supervisor.

It exasperated him that such garbage had spread quickly around the Headquarters. He didn't need any more negative assumptions about his Exorcists. He dealt with enough from Leverrier. Yet, they kept on coming like a barrage of rolling boulders in a devastating avalanche.

So, what if Aria's overall personality was a fake, nothing more a mere illusion?

So, what if Armentice had buried the details of her past?

That didn't change the fact that they were here, that they were Exorcists and risking their lives to help fight the war. They were still young, and they were much younger when they'd suffered. Those people might as well put Lenalee on the spot, also.


	60. Marionette

**shortie: ...Maybe I should change the rating. I don't know. Er.... Enjoy?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o6o. Marionette**

_He was laughing hysterically. It seemed like he was unable to hold onto his sanity, that hell suddenly broke loose inside of him. His eyes were wide, completely crazed and wild. The edges of his mouth were upturned in a maniacal grin._

_Aria was frozen stiff, eyes unusually large, pupils dilated to a minute point. Her blood had ran icy cold the moment Alastair lost his composure. All trace of thoughts had flown out of her mind, and an unreadable aura had blanketed itself over her. Her heart was thudding too hard against her chest; it felt constricted with the too many emotions it was experiencing. She was barely breathing, lightly sucking in air through her tightly shut throat. Her muscles were all tensed, ready to oblige to her not-yet-given order._

"_What the bloody hell, Alastair?" she slowly enunciated, eyes fully focused on his still laughing form. Her voice was deathly calm, extremely lucid and cool to actually be benevolent._

_Giggling in feverish glee, baring his clenched teeth in what was supposed to be a grin (which disturbingly mimicked the Millennium Earl's), he lifted his gaze to her._

"_No, no, no, no, no," he _tsk'_ed in a scolding manner, voice going up an octave or two which perfectly matched with his current state. He idly shook his shaggy head, even opting to wag a patronizing finger at her. "M'dear Aria, you shouldn't speak so malevolently and with such vigor! It's not so ladylike, m'dear."_

_Like she cared about that right at the moment. She dangerously narrowed her eyes, a flame glittering behind her onyx orbs._

"_What were all of those bloody 'jobs' for, then?" she spat. "You said they were for the greater good, that it would help cleanse the world of sin."_

"_I did, didn't I?" he tittered, scratching his cheek in fake absentmindedness. "And they _are_ for the greater good. You're helping me rid the once glorious world of the evils that linger venomously among us."_

"_You bloody made me kill people! And their families!" she shouted, immediately losing her calm composure. Anger oozed its way inside her, boiling her blood, warming her firm muscles, blinding her rational thoughts, igniting the burning instincts within her._

_He abruptly dropped the frenzied façade, staring at her with harden hazel eyes, dull and lifeless. He pursed his lips together, slightly agitated._

"_I did no such thing. It was all you," he corrected. "_You_ were the one who willingly obliged to do so."_

_Her heart pulsed thunderously, the rush of blood roaring in her ears._

"You_ were the one who took each of their lives."_

_Flashes of various faces flickered through her head like a silent black-and-white movie._

"You_ were the one who bathed your hands in their blood."_

_Her vision was slashed with red._

"You_ were the one who plunged the knife into heart after heart after heart."_

_She no longer felt in control of her body. Her feet moved on their own accord, lunging herself forward._

"I_ did none of those things, and I certainly didn't force you to."_

_No, he didn't, but he was the influence._

_Aria pulled her arm from Alastair's chest, letting him collapse to his knees, a waterfall of blood gushing from his wound. It splattered onto the clean marble floor. Then he limply fell onto his side._

_Her whole left arm was painted with his life force. The sticky red liquid was warm and felt strangely serene coated onto her flesh as she astonishingly gazed at her hand. Droplets of blood adorned her face. The front of her attire was caked with blood, staining the material dark. The thick aroma was positively alluring. It filled her senses and drove her into a peaceful state of contentment._


	61. Hover

**shortie: Finally, an update. YAY. :D The incident he is referring to is in Chapter 42. The rose metaphor/analogy is referring back to Chapter 32. (Whoa! They're both even numbered chapters and ending with 2. How crazy is that? XD) Hope you like.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my two OCs (and the other OCs I forgot to mention----like Alastair. Heh.) and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o61. Hover**

It was only during the early hours of the still darkened morning that he would visit her. That was usually the time he found her awake from nightmares and constant insomnia. So, it was only logical for him to sneak into the infirmary to see her at that time. After all, it was _their _time, _their _special hour, and no one else knew about it. They didn't need to know about it.

He knew it was against Matron's orders; he was bound to get caught and possibly submitted to a horrible punishment. He knew he was stupid to go see her after that incident, but his anger towards her would subside once his gray eyes landed on her vulnerable form. She looked so exposed and incredibly weak; it made him sick to the pit of his stomach. His heart would tightly clench in pain each time he went to visit her, seeing her skin flushed bright pink, covered in a veneer layer of sweat. Her breathing was shallow and quick, like she couldn't get enough air into her lungs. It was too much for him to bear, but he would always return each night.

Marie knew of his nightly trips, but the Japanese teen would never admit it to him or anyone else. He wouldn't ever confess his innermost thoughts and feelings; they were his, after all, and his alone. So, it was his decision to whether or not share them with others.

Tch. Like he ever would.

Yet, as he stood watching Aria's chest rise and fall with each breath, as he listened to the rapid beating of his heart, he couldn't help but feel just a tiny bit of those buried emotions. No matter how disgusted he was with himself, no matter how upset he was at her, no matter how broken he felt, no matter how torn she was, it all ebbed away as soon as she lethargically fluttered her eyes open, pink lips stretched into that small smile, his name on the tip of her tongue.

Even deathly ill, she could still manage that perfect smile-----the perfect smile that appeared so sad and so drained on her sickness-stricken face.

Then she fell back into the comfort of sleep, muscles relaxing. He stood there by her side, waiting for her to awaken once more, but she slept on. At least, hopefully until the next night, where he would impatiently wait for that expression and that moment of consciousness.

The thorns were falling off, slowly peeling from the stem, and she was wilting away. However, he knew she would sprout anew and bloom into that beautiful rose-----just not yet.


	62. Winning a Battle Losing the War

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o62. Winning a Battle; Losing the War**

It was a pretty good idea at the time: becoming an assassin for her sister's sake. Now, it just seemed foolish, like a romantic idealist's dream of being saved in such a way or giving up one's life for someone else. Heroic, the dreamer would say, so tragic and sad that I would be remembered for all eternity------or for all eternity remember the honorable martyr.

Sure.

But looking back on it, Aria found it to be so childish of her. Having those sort of romantic thoughts and that altruistic nature only made things more difficult on her. Even though she wouldn't admit it to herself, she knew it was the truth. However, she did not blame Armentice; after all, it wasn't the younger twin whom ordered her to do all of those things. Alastair, on the other hand, may have ordered her to "delete" those people, but it was she who complied and did so. It was no one's fault but her own.

Did she regret it?

Yes, but she didn't (and wouldn't) regret the reason why.

However, that was the only thing she wouldn't regret; everything else she could basically do without.

She torn herself apart: First, her morals and then her mind. She didn't even have much sanity to hold onto, except-----

She lightly stirred, slowly fluttering open her eyes. Her blurry vision cleared, enabling her to see the darkened room bathed in moonlight and the tall figure hovering at her side. Out of habit, her lips tugged into a small smile. Then just as abruptly as she awoke, she slipped right back into unconsciousness.

He still came to visit her, despite what she had done to him? Or was he just there to watch her finally lose the war she desperately tried to win?

Her heart twisted in pain, and she suddenly felt like crying.


	63. Gentle Touch

**shortie: Finally a new chapter has come out!! :D Sorry for the long wait. (And sorry it's so short.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o63. Gentle Touch**

A rugged and calloused hand gently brushed the side of her face, causing her to stir from her long slumber. She softly groaned, blinking her eyes open. A wave of red was the very first thing she noticed. Next was a black eye patch.

"…Lavi?" Her voice came out hoarse and quiet.

Armentice blinked away the rest of the sleep in her eyes, clearing up her vision. There he was in his red haired glory, settled next to the bed she occupied, a weak smile on his face. It was so full of sadness. Just seeing him with that expression made her think of Aria, which made her even more depressed.

Immediately, Lavi reached out his hand and wiped away a stray tear from the corner of the girl's right eye. She blinked in surprised, realizing that her eyes were rather watery. Embarrassed, she quickly rubbed at them with the hem of her sleeve.

"I've seen you cry before, y'know?" He chuckled but the sound echoed awkwardly off of the white walls, strangely out-of-place in the thick and quiet atmosphere of the infirmary.

She sniffed, lowering her arm from her face, eyes slightly red. Her mouth tighten into a thin line as she looked up at him, tears filling up again. Slowly, and uncertainly, she grasped his hand in hers, pulling it up against her cheek----Lavi was shocked at how timid the action was----as the water overflowed.


	64. Repeated Mistake

**shortie: Uh... This one sort of strayed away from its original point, but oh well. It was supposed to be about Armentice ignoring the signs and such but then it veered towards Aria and her sister complex and her continuous self-sacrifice. That's what Lavi's talking about.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own -man. Just my OCs and the plot that comes with them.**

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**o64. Repeated Mistake**

She kept on repeating the same words over and over, head bowed, hair curtained around her tear-stained face. No matter how many times he told her to stop, she would start up once he finished speaking.

And he thought the old panda was a broken record.

However, he knew how bad she felt, especially after hearing the truth finally come out. At first, he was angry----angry at Armentice because she saw the signs yet ignored them, turning away only to fiddle with frivolous things. Then, he sobered because nothing would have helped Aria cope, either psychologically or emotionally, and it hurt him to realize that she would have still suffered no matter what happened. After all, the twins were only kids then.

And Armentice suffered, too.

Lavi sighed heavily. If only Aria wasn't so selfless, then maybe she and her sister would have been able to avoid it all. But _he_ had saved them, so it was only right to return some sort of gesture of thanks and appreciation. Unfortunately, the redhead could only think about how _idiotic _(ten-year-old) Aria was, agreeing to kill people for food, warmth, and shelter----for her sister. If only she wasn't so _attached_----that stupid sister complex of hers!----to Armentice the way Komui was with Lenalee, then she wouldn't have been so desperate to comply with _his _terms!

It greatly angered him, but he couldn't do anything now because that was in the past. In the present, Aria was unconscious a few beds away.


	65. Stop

**shortie: I'm so lazy about updating on this site....**

* * *

**o65. Stop**

Matron checked up on Armentice, seeing as she was currently awake, and a day later, she was released from the infirmary. Her friends were happy to see her once again, but there was a gloomy atmosphere clouding the air at the Order, affecting even the most cheerful of them. Komui did not call for her, which she was both relieved and surprised at. She supposed he wanted to hear both of their stories back-to-back when the elder twin awoke or he simply was too busy. Maybe it was a combination of both theories.

Aria didn't appear to be waking up any time soon, unfortunately. She seemed to have gotten better, the illness slicking away slowly as her complexion returned. However, Matron had said that she was in a sort of catatonic state and that it was difficult to accurately tell when she would surely be conscious. The stern woman had asked the younger twin about the circumstances surrounding her sister's condition, and as honestly as she could, her heart trembling with each spoken word, she told her what she knew.

Day by day by day by day.

Hour by hour by hour by hour.

Minute by minute by minute by minute.

Second by second by second by second.

The clock seemed to tick the time away in an agonizingly sluggish manner, not soothing the frayed and uneasy nerves of Armentice. Lenalee tried her best to comfort her, to distract her with jobs helping those who needed some assistance. (Bookman had dragged away Lavi, and she couldn't find him anywhere.)

Everyone was busy with something, too focused on their work to concern themselves with the current condition of the elder Locken twin. Finding something to occupy herself with enabled Armentice to forget about her burden. Even though her sister was important, helping the Black Order was the highest priority at the moment. (She doubted flirting with General Cross Marian counted as "helping.")

She woke nearly a week after Armentice did. However, it wasn't quite the glorious moment it was thought to be. There was something particularly strange about Aria now that she was finally conscious. Maybe it was the way she looked as though she went through hell and back. Or the way she would avoid direct eye contact like a shy schoolgirl. Or it was probably the lack of emotions she displayed, no mask put on. Or maybe it was the immense melancholy she gave off, her eyes drowning in multiple emotions.

For Armentice, the very last suffocated her, riling up the guilt (and anger) in her. Because of that, she couldn't stand to be in her elder sister's presence for very long.

When Komui was informed of Aria's awakening, he waited a few days until visiting her, preparing himself for the interrogation he would bestow upon her----and allowing for her to get used to the present situation. He had so many inferences swimming around his head, some of which weren't even his to begin with, and he needed to know the truth straight from her own mouth. However, without knowing how much his inquiry would harm her, especially in her current vulnerable and raw condition, it made him nervous. But he had to; it was his responsibility as Supervisor.

He had Matron disallowed the female Exorcist visitors so that he would be able to freely speak with her without any interruptions. That wasn't the sole purpose, but it was one of them. He also had the her, the head nurse, treat any injured persons in a separate room, wondering why Aria wasn't placed in a private room in the first place.

She did not greet him with a faux smile like before her illness. Instead, she stared at him with wide eyes, watching his every movement, calm and uncertain. His name left her lips rather formally, voice soft, quiet, and rather hoarse. Her long waist length hair draped over her shoulders, bangs falling over her eyes as she tilted her head quizzically.

She _did_ know what he was here for, then. Well, the lack of people going in and out of the infirmary must have tipped her off. Unfortunately, the simple fact that she knew what he wanted didn't make it any easier to approach and confront her about it.

Apparently, it didn't make it any easier for her, either.

He asked. She gave him no answer except for a distraught expression. After a few long hours of pure silence between them, he was shooed out by Matron. He managed to catch the regretful look on the teen's face as he left.

Later that night, unable to sleep, she snuck out and headed towards the Chinese man's office. He would be there at this late of an hour, she knew----at least, she hoped he would be. She noticed how different the Headquarters looked, immediately realizing that it wasn't the tall towering castle she was used to, and got lost on her way. Maybe it was luck or fate at work, but the very person she was seeking found her, lost and disoriented, in the hallway.

It seemed to them that the night dragged on longer than usual, as though morning did not want to come. Komui wished the day would come and go, taking the fresh information in his mind with it. He wished he never asked to know----it was all hard to swallow and take in----but he was Supervisor, thus, it was his responsibility to be in the know.

_She_ was his responsibility.


End file.
